 At least four foreign militants died in last week's air strike that targeted Al Qaeda's deputy leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, but apparently missed him, Pakistani authorities confirmed today.
Friday's attack by CIA drones armed with missiles killed several women and children, and sparked angry protests across Pakistan, whose government said it had lodged a formal complaint with U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker. Witnesses and local officials say four jets also bombed the mud-brick compound, which they said was under surveillance by drones for four days before the attack shortly after 3 a.m. Friday.
| If they knew it was under surveillance, that's why Ayman didn't show. |
But in a statement today, Pakistan's federal administrator in the border region confirmed that the house was targeted because 10 to 12 foreign extremists had been invited to dinner there to celebrate a Muslim holiday. Four or five militants died in the strike, and villagers took their bodies away, according to a statement issued by authorities in Bajaur, one of seven semi-autonomous tribal areas where support for Muslim militants is strong among the mainly Pashtun population.
| Guess you'll have to beat them until they tell you where they are, won't you? |
Two fugitives described as al-Qaida facilitators, Faqir Mohammed and Maulana Liaquat, were also present when the house was attacked, Fahim Wazir, federal political agent in charge of Bajaur, said in his statement. "It is regrettable that 18 local people lost their lives in the attack, but this fact also cannot be denied, that 10 to 12 foreign extremists had been invited (to) a dinner," the statement added. |