US drone attack kills 8 in Pak tribal belt

At least eight people were killed and several others injured on Sunday when a US drone fired two missiles at a home in Pakistan's troubled South Waziristan tribal region, the stronghold of local Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud, near the Afghan border.

The incident occurred in Gangikhel area near Wana, the main town in South Waziristan tribal agency this morning, officials were quoted as saying by TV news channels.

Local residents said they had seen two drones flying over the area this morning and the home of a man belonging to the Mehsud tribe was targeted in the missile attack.

Eight persons were killed in the attack and details about them were not immediately available.

Waziristan is considered a stronghold of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan chief Mehsud. The Gangikhel area has witnessed missile strikes by US drones in the recent past.

Pakistan has said it has differences with the US on the missile strikes, which it has described as counter-productive for the war on terror and a violation of its sovereignty.

Today's drone attack came a day after a suicide bomber rammed his explosives-laden vehicle into a police check post killing 23 people, most of them security personnel, in some other area in Pakistan's restive northwest.

The bomber targeted the check post in Hangu district, which is surrounded by the troubled Aurakzai, Kurram and North Waziristan tribal areas, in NWFP.