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Twelve suspected militants were killed in Shawal Tehsil of North Waziristan Agency when an unmanned US predator drone fired at least six missiles at a compound used as a training centre by militants.
An intelligence official told The Express Tribune that the missiles were fired at the Torabi Markaz, a compound used as a training facility by militants. “The drone struck the compound with at least six missiles and destroyed it completely,” said the official.
He added that although 12 militants were killed, the casualties may rise.
The strike was the first recorded one in the month of Ramazan. The area of Shawal is considered to be a stronghold of militant warlord Hafiz Gulbahadur.
Meanwhile, in a speech at an event organised by the World Affairs Council at the National Press Club, US Senate Committee on Intelligence chairperson Senator Dianne Feinstein said that the collateral damage caused by the unilateral strikes has been greatly reduced.
She added that the committee’s staff has made 28 visits to various centres as part of their oversight of the drone programme.
Oarkzai clashes
Meanwhile, dozens of militants attacked a security check-post in tehsil Barawal of Upper Dir District.
A security official informed The Express Tribune that more than 40 militants attacked the Tharpana Kandao security check-post at around 11:10 am.
“Security forces in retaliation killed 16 militants,” he revealed. Their bodies are still in the custody of security forces.
The security official said that militants were continuously attacking the check-post from across the border to get back the bodies.
In a separate incident, three people were killed in Datta Khel, North Waziristan Agency, when a roadside bomb exploded near a vehicle.
(WITH ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY HUMA IMTIAZ FROM WASHINGTON)
Published in The Express Tribune, July 24th, 2012.
COMMENTS (14)
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Absolutely non sense...these were peace loving students practising yoga and their moves were understood by these damned Drones controller as jihadi moves!!
@Doch,
The algorithm used by the drones to determine terrorist targets is quite simple when they fly over that area of the world.
It is amply clear that targets are identified by Pakistan and information passed on to US otherwise the Americans cannot bombard them with such pinpoint accuracy.
Good riddance !! However the technology amazes me. Isn't it absolutely unbelievable that the drones can not only kill but have the capability to read the minds and the hearts of the target before killing them so that in the end only the Militants and terrorists die !!
@Yaida Too good !
Actually they were 12 innocent civilians undergoing training as nurses.
@Bader, A2Z. Pakistan intelligence says they were militants - the CIA bombed them because they think they were militants - so why do you think otherwise?
Pretty clear that Pakistan intelligence knew this was a training camp for bad guys -- so why didn't you take out the training camp yourself?. Remember the proposal to the American's where you indicated that if they provided you with the drone intel you would take out the bad guys yourselves --- of course the American's knew that proposal was for nonsense and this seems to prove it.
@A2Z: Go confirm it then. Or are you too afraid of such peace loving areas full of the pure and innocent? How about anyone else going and confirming it? Or were the bodies mysteriously whisked away too fast?
Can we see the captured video from drone plane of people training openly ? I'm 100% with the drone technology this video is captured but never shared, such is the beauty of democracy :) from largest advocate of justice, human rights and democracy.
Again "Suspected"
How do you know, they were militants?
A country must control all its region and there shouldn't be any no go areas like FATA.