12 militants killed in US drone attacks in Pakistan

Published: Thursday, Nov 4, 2010, 0:07 IST Place: Peshawar | Agency: PTI 

Three US drones today fired missiles at Taliban hideouts in the Pakistan's volatile North Waziristan tribal region, killing 12 suspected militants, security officials said.

In the first attack, a spy plane fired two missiles at a moving vehicle in Qutab Khel area, five kilometres southeast of Miran Shah, the main town of North Waziristan tribal agency, the officials said.

Four suspected militants were killed in the attack, said security officials. The dead men are believed to have been members of the Haqqani network of Taliban, which often targets the US and foreign forces across the border in Afghanistan, they said.

However, local residents said the bodies of the victims were charred beyond recognition. They said the victims could be from local tribe also.

In the second attack, the unmanned aircraft fired missiles at another vehicle in Taee Khel near Miran Shah, killing four other suspected militants.

Local residents did not approach near the vehicle as they feared more attacks. In the third strike, four missiles were fired at a compound in the same area, killing yet four more militants, the officials said.

The US has significantly stepped up drone strikes in the tribal belt in response to intelligence reports that the Taliban had drawn up a Mumbai-like terror plot to launch attacks on European cities.

Over 150 people have been killed in drone strikes since September 3.