Drone strike leaves 7 dead, including foreigners

US drone targets compound in mountainous region of Shawal, which connects North and South Waziristan

BANNU: At least seven suspected militants were killed and two others injured when a US drone targeted a compound in the mountainous region of Shawal, which connects North and South Waziristan.

Officials at Miramshah, the headquarters of North Waziristan, have confirmed the strike, saying three of the deceased are foreigners. Their identity has yet to be confirmed but the officials said they may be Central Asian.

According to officials, the compound was razed to the ground by two missiles and a vehicle inside the compound was blown to pieces in the strike. Rescue activities were delayed as the drone hovered in the area for 30 minutes.

This is the fourth US drone attack in Shawal this month. Due to the cold weather and snow, the movement of militants and troops was impeded.

Meanwhile, foreign media maintains that the recent drone attacks by the US have raised speculation that Washington and Islamabad are coordinating their military efforts. Pakistan, however, officially denounces the strikes as a violation of its sovereignty.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 29^th, 2015.