Peshawar:
US drones carried out an unprecedented three attacks on militant hideouts in the restive Khyber tribal region of northwest Pakistan today, with reports saying that over 50 militants were killed in the missile strikes.
Officials in the political administration of the semi-autonomous Khyber Agency told PTI nearly 30 militants, including Lashkar-e-Islam commander Ali Marjan alias Fauji, were killed in the strikes.
TV news channels put the death toll at 51.
The drones fired several missiles at three bases of the banned Lashkar-e-Islam group in Tirah area of Khyber Agency.
The three attacks were carried out within a space of hours. Several militants were also injured in the attacks, officials said.
The third strike, which targeted a Lashkar-e-Islam base at Sangana in Tirah Valley, was carried out following reports that the group's chief Mangal Bagh Afridi was present in the area, sources said.
This was only the second time since the drone attacks began in 2004 that unmanned spy planes attacked targets in Khyber Agency.
Seven militants were killed in the first missile strike in the region yesterday.
Local residents said they had seen drones flying over parts of Khyber Agency since the morning.
The spy planes continue to hover over the region after the attacks.
US drone attacks have largely focussed on the lawless Waziristan region bordering Afghanistan and attacks in other parts of the tribal belt have been rare.
The attacks in Khyber Agency assume significance as the region is located near Peshawar, the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province.
Several militant groups, including the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan and Lashkar-e-Islam, are active in Khyber Agency, the main supply route for US and NATO forces in Afghanistan.
The militants regularly attack supply vehicles in Khyber Agency. Today's strike came a day after US President Barack Obama unveiled his new Afghan war strategy, asking Pakistan to do more against militants on its soil.
"Progress has not come fast enough, so we will continue to insist to Pakistani leaders that terrorist safe havens within their borders must be dealt with," Obama said at the White House while launching his first review of the US strategy for Afghanistan.
Observers interpreted the attacks in Khyber Agency as a sign that the US could expand drone strikes to other areas from Waziristan region.
Officials in the political administration of the semi-autonomous Khyber Agency told PTI nearly 30 militants, including Lashkar-e-Islam commander Ali Marjan alias Fauji, were killed in the strikes.
TV news channels put the death toll at 51.
The drones fired several missiles at three bases of the banned Lashkar-e-Islam group in Tirah area of Khyber Agency.
The three attacks were carried out within a space of hours. Several militants were also injured in the attacks, officials said.
The third strike, which targeted a Lashkar-e-Islam base at Sangana in Tirah Valley, was carried out following reports that the group's chief Mangal Bagh Afridi was present in the area, sources said.
This was only the second time since the drone attacks began in 2004 that unmanned spy planes attacked targets in Khyber Agency.
Seven militants were killed in the first missile strike in the region yesterday.
Local residents said they had seen drones flying over parts of Khyber Agency since the morning.
The spy planes continue to hover over the region after the attacks.
US drone attacks have largely focussed on the lawless Waziristan region bordering Afghanistan and attacks in other parts of the tribal belt have been rare.
The attacks in Khyber Agency assume significance as the region is located near Peshawar, the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province.
Several militant groups, including the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan and Lashkar-e-Islam, are active in Khyber Agency, the main supply route for US and NATO forces in Afghanistan.
The militants regularly attack supply vehicles in Khyber Agency. Today's strike came a day after US President Barack Obama unveiled his new Afghan war strategy, asking Pakistan to do more against militants on its soil.
"Progress has not come fast enough, so we will continue to insist to Pakistani leaders that terrorist safe havens within their borders must be dealt with," Obama said at the White House while launching his first review of the US strategy for Afghanistan.
Observers interpreted the attacks in Khyber Agency as a sign that the US could expand drone strikes to other areas from Waziristan region.
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