Representational image. (Thinkstock)
Peshawar:
A US drone strike killed at least four militants in Pakistan's restive tribal region near the Afghan border on Friday, Pakistani security officials said, the second such incident in a week.
The strike targeted a Taliban compound in North Waziristan, one of seven semi-autonomous tribal districts that border Afghanistan, and an area that has been a hub for Al-Qaeda and Taliban militants since the early 2000s.
"A US drone fired two missiles which hit a compound... killing four terrorists," a senior security official told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Another security official confirmed the strike and casualties.
Another drone strike in North Waziristan on December 20 killed at least five militants, officials said.
The area is generally off-limits to journalists, making it difficult to independently verify the number and identity of the dead.
Washington pressed Islamabad for years to wipe out militant sanctuaries in North Waziristan, which have been used to launch attacks on NATO forces in Afghanistan.
The Pakistani military launched a major offensive in the area in June and says it has killed more than 1,700 militants so far, with 126 soldiers having lost their lives.
The latest strikes came after Pakistan ramped up its anti-terror strategy in the wake of a December 16 attack on an army-run school in Peshawar which killed 150 people, 134 of them children.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has announced the establishment of military courts for terror-related cases in order to accelerate trials, and the premier has also lifted a six-year moratorium on the death penalty, reinstating it for terrorism-related cases.
Officials said Monday that Pakistan plans to execute around 500 militants in the coming weeks.
The strike targeted a Taliban compound in North Waziristan, one of seven semi-autonomous tribal districts that border Afghanistan, and an area that has been a hub for Al-Qaeda and Taliban militants since the early 2000s.
"A US drone fired two missiles which hit a compound... killing four terrorists," a senior security official told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Another security official confirmed the strike and casualties.
Another drone strike in North Waziristan on December 20 killed at least five militants, officials said.
The area is generally off-limits to journalists, making it difficult to independently verify the number and identity of the dead.
Washington pressed Islamabad for years to wipe out militant sanctuaries in North Waziristan, which have been used to launch attacks on NATO forces in Afghanistan.
The Pakistani military launched a major offensive in the area in June and says it has killed more than 1,700 militants so far, with 126 soldiers having lost their lives.
The latest strikes came after Pakistan ramped up its anti-terror strategy in the wake of a December 16 attack on an army-run school in Peshawar which killed 150 people, 134 of them children.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has announced the establishment of military courts for terror-related cases in order to accelerate trials, and the premier has also lifted a six-year moratorium on the death penalty, reinstating it for terrorism-related cases.
Officials said Monday that Pakistan plans to execute around 500 militants in the coming weeks.
Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
