Six killed in US drone strike in Pak tribal belt

A US drone fired missiles at the house of a militant commander in the lawless North Waziristan tribal region of northwest Pakistan on Sunday, killing at least six suspected Taliban fighters and injuring three others.

The unmanned spy plane fired two missiles at the house in Mirali area of North Waziristan tribal agency, officials said. The house collapsed after the attack.

Six suspected Taliban militants were killed and three others injured in the drone strike, the officials said.

Local residents rushed to the site and pulled out the bodies and the injured from the debris. The injured were taken to a nearby private clinic.

The house targeted by the drone belonged to a militant commander associated with the network of Taliban warlord Hafiz Gul Bahadar, whose fighters often target US and NATO forces across the border in Afghanistan.

The US has stepped up drone strikes in Waziristan since September.

The CIA-operated spy planes have carried out over 100 strikes in the tribal belt this year.

First Published: Nov 21, 2010 21:39 IST