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Pakistan: Deadly 'US drone strike' in Waziristan Pakistan: Deadly 'US drone strike' in Waziristan
(about 3 hours later)
At least four people were killed when a US drone fired two missiles in the volatile Pakistani region of North Waziristan, security officials said. At least six suspected militants have been killed and three injured in a drone strike in north-western Pakistan, security officials have told the BBC.
They said the missiles hit a house close to the town of Miranshah. They said the dead and injured were local fighters, and included a local commander of the Pakistani Taliban.
The missiles hit a house close to the town of Miranshah.
The strike comes a week after President Barack Obama issued new guidelines for tighter scrutiny of the drone programme and stricter targeting rules.The strike comes a week after President Barack Obama issued new guidelines for tighter scrutiny of the drone programme and stricter targeting rules.
US drone strikes are a major point of contention in Pakistan, and represented a key issue in its recent elections. A security official in Miranshah said Nasiruddin, a Pakistani Taliban commander from the Ladha region in South Waziristan, was among those killed.
A Pakistani foreign ministry official condemned the strike as a breach of sovereignty, Reuters news agency reported. There has been no word from the Taliban in relation to the strike.
US drone strikes are a major point of contention in Pakistan, and were a key issue in its recent elections.
A Pakistani foreign ministry official condemned the strike - the first for almost six weeks - as a breach of sovereignty, Reuters news agency reported.
"Any drone strike is against the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Pakistan and we condemn it," the official, who declined to be identified, told Reuters."Any drone strike is against the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Pakistan and we condemn it," the official, who declined to be identified, told Reuters.
It was unclear whether those killed were the intended targets. Four people were also reported to have been wounded. The latest attack comes at a particularly sensitive time, the BBC's Richard Galpin in Islamabad says,
The BBC's M Ilyas Khan in Islamabad says that the strike is also the first since Pakistan's 11 May elections which have brought to the fore groups that feed on anti-Americanism and oppose such attacks. Nawaz Sharif, leader of the Pakistan Muslim League, is about to form the next government following elections earlier this month.
Our correspondent says it comes on the day that the newly-elected parliament of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province - which adjoins North Waziristan - holds its first meeting. The inaccessibility of the area of the attack - which is effectively out of bounds to foreign journalists - means it is impossible to confirm the identifies of those killed.
'Just war'
Local residents told BBC a compound was hit on Wednesday morning about 3km (1.8 miles) east of Miranshah, the administrative centre of the North Waziristan tribal region.
They said it was being used by Pakistan Taliban fighters from neighbouring South Waziristan region who moved their bases to the area in 2009 to escape a military operation.
Pakistan initially offered covert support to drone strikes but has over the years become more defiant, saying such strikes are "counter-productive" and a "violation of sovereignty".
The BBC's M Ilyas Khan in Islamabad says that any strike against the Pakistan Taliban would be welcomed by the Pakistani authorities because the group has for several years been exclusively focused on pursuing Pakistani - rather than Afghan - military and civilian targets.
The strike is the first since Pakistan's 11 May elections which have brought to the fore groups that oppose such attacks and are seen as feeding on anti-Americanism.
Our correspondent says it comes on the same day that the newly-elected parliament of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province - which adjoins North Waziristan - holds its first meeting.
The province is now being ruled by former cricketer Imran Khan's PTI party, which has in recent months repeatedly spoken out against drone attacks, as has Prime Minister-elect Nawaz Sharif.The province is now being ruled by former cricketer Imran Khan's PTI party, which has in recent months repeatedly spoken out against drone attacks, as has Prime Minister-elect Nawaz Sharif.
Our correspondent says the strike is seen as an early message from Washington that legitimate targets in Pakistan's tribal regions will continue to be targeted by drones unless Pakistanis themselves are able to neutralise those targets or dismantle militant sanctuaries in them.Our correspondent says the strike is seen as an early message from Washington that legitimate targets in Pakistan's tribal regions will continue to be targeted by drones unless Pakistanis themselves are able to neutralise those targets or dismantle militant sanctuaries in them.
Last Friday President Obama defended the use of drones as a "just war" of self-defence against militants and a campaign that had made America safer.Last Friday President Obama defended the use of drones as a "just war" of self-defence against militants and a campaign that had made America safer.
He said there must be "near certainty" that no civilians would die in such strikes. Drone attacks should only be used amid a "continuing, imminent threat" to the US where no other options are available, the guidelines say.He said there must be "near certainty" that no civilians would die in such strikes. Drone attacks should only be used amid a "continuing, imminent threat" to the US where no other options are available, the guidelines say.
The Afghan-Pakistan border region is home to a variety of local and Afghan militant groups including fighters linked to al-Qaeda.The Afghan-Pakistan border region is home to a variety of local and Afghan militant groups including fighters linked to al-Qaeda.
Pakistan's security forces have long been accused by the US on not doing enough to fight the Taliban in the mountains of North Waziristan.Pakistan's security forces have long been accused by the US on not doing enough to fight the Taliban in the mountains of North Waziristan.
More recently, US forces have used drone strikes in the region as part of their campaign against the Taliban across the border in Afghanistan.More recently, US forces have used drone strikes in the region as part of their campaign against the Taliban across the border in Afghanistan.