Targeted attack: 6 killed in Waziristan drone strike
At least six militants were killed when two missiles fired from a US drone targeted a house and vehicle in the Shawwal area of North Waziristan. The Foreign Office was quick to condemn the strike.
The attack occurred at 12:15pm on Saturday, security officials confirmed to The Express Tribune.
The security official added that one missile targeted a house and another a vehicle – both were reportedly damaged in the attacks. It could not be confirmed if the deceased were locals or foreigners.
The location targeted by the latest drone strike is in the border region of North Waziristan, located 60km south of the Miramshah headquarters.
Pakistan strongly protested the drone attack.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the Foreign Office Spokesperson said Pakistan has consistently maintained that these attacks are a violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity and also in contravention of international law.
The latest attack, which came after a lull of about three weeks, was in the same region where a drone strike on June 4 killed 15 militants, including senior al Qaeda figure Abu Yahya al Libi. Additionally, the attack was the first since Inter-Services Intelligence chief, Lt Gen Zaheerul Islam, held talks with his CIA counterpart in Washington earlier this month in which drone strikes were said to have been discussed.
There has been a dramatic increase in US drone strikes in Pakistan since May, when a Nato summit in Chicago could not strike a deal to end a six-month blockade on convoys transporting supplies to coalition forces in Afghanistan.
(With additional input from AGENCIES)
Published in The Express Tribune, August 19th, 2012.
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Good riddance.