News
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Drone strike kills six in South WaziristanDERA ISMAIL KHAN: US missiles killed six suspected terrorists in the Tribal Areas near the Afghan border on Saturday, officials said. The strikes were part of a flurry of such attacks, which could indicate a more aggressive American strategy against insurgents finding sanctuary there. The United States is pressing Pakistan for action against Afghan insurgents in the region, especially the Haqqani network that it says is the No 1 threat in Afghanistan. Independently of what Pakistan does, Washington may up the tempo of missile strikes or widen their targeting, although either option could strain its already complicated relationship with Islamabad. Washington has regularly used drones since 2008 to pummel insurgents and their hideouts in the tribal regions. US officials do not acknowledge the CIA-led programme. Pakistan publicly protests the strikes, which are unpopular in this Islamic nation, but tolerates them in practice. In the latest attack, drone-fired missiles slammed into a compound near Angore Adda in the South Waziristan. The strike targeted fighters of Maulvi Nazir, a Pakistani militant commander who is accused of working with Taliban and al Qaeda to direct cross-border attacks, the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to talk to media on record. On Friday, US missiles killed four unidentified people in a part of North Waziristan. A day earlier, a strike in North Waziristan killed Janbaz Zadran, who US officials say was a top commander in the Haqqani network and had helped orchestrate attacks in Kabul and southeastern Afghanistan. ap
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk