[Pak Daily Times] US drones fired a salvo of missiles into a compound in Datta Khel area of North  Wazoo Agency on Friday, killing at least 17 suspected terrorists, local security officials said. Four US unmanned aircraft took part in the attack which came just four days after US commandos rubbed out top al Qaeda leader the late Osama bin Laden
... who was potted in Pakistain...
in the garrison city of Abbottabad.
| Another raid based on information from the bin Laden stash? |
"A compound and a vehicle were targeted by US drones in the Datta Khel area of North Waziristan," a security bigshot told a foreign news agency on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to talk to media. Another official who wished anonymity said that the strike targeted a vehicle suspected of carrying foreign cut-throats in North Waziristan Agency. The aircraft fired eight missiles at the vehicle as it drove near a roadside restaurant, killing at least 17 people, including foreign terrorists, said the officials. At least one civilian died when the missiles damaged the restaurant and a nearby home, they said. It was unclear whether intelligence gleaned from the US commando raid that killed Bin Laden on Monday played a part in the drone strike. Pak officials regularly condemn drone attacks as violations of the country's illusory sovereignty. The attacks are extremely unpopular in Pakistain, and the most recent attack could further increase tensions between the US and Pakistain that have spiked in the wake of US operation in Abbottabad that led to the killing of Bin Laden. The US refuses to publicly acknowledge the covert CIA drone programme in Pakistain. The Pakistain government says Bin Laden's death was a milestone in the fight against terrorism although it objects to the raid as a violation of the country's illusory sovereignty and territorial integrity. |