Pakistan

US drone kills at least six in Pakistan

Article published on the 2009-07-03 Latest update 2009-07-03 14:42 TU

US President Obama with Afghan President Karzai and President Zardari of Pakistan in Washington in May
(Photo: Reuters)

An unmanned missile killed at least six people when it hit the hideout of a Taliban commander in Pakistan's tribal area of South Waziristan on Friday. Some accounts put the death toll as high as 11.

Security officials told the AFP news agency that three US drones hit buildings used by Taliban commander Noor Wali, who is an ally of Baitullah Mehsud, the warlord the government believes was behind the killing of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.

Military spokesperson Major-General Athar Abbas said that "about six" people died. Intelligence officials told the Dawn newspaper that Noor Wali had trained suicide-bombers and that local people report 11 killed in the attack.

The US does not officially admit to military activity in Pakistan but its armed forces and the CIA are the only forces that deploy them in the region. 

Pakistan publicly opposes the attacks as a violation of its sovereignty but top US politicians have alleged that they operate from a Pakistani airbase.

The latest strikes are probably a sign of closer co-operation between the Pakistani military and the US, says correspondent Omar Waraich.

"They are deeply unpopular amongst broad sections of Pakistani public opinions," he told RFI. "But, in this particular case, these drone strikes are targeting Baitullah Mehsud, whom the Pakistan army is set to launch an operation against."

Meanwhile the anti-Taliban offensive in the north-west of the country continues. At least 13 armed fighters and four local tribesmen have been killed in the districts of Swat and Dir, the military says.