MIRANSHAH  - (Reuters/AFP) - US drone aircraft struck a militant hideout in North Waziristan tribal area near the border with Afghanistan on Monday, killing at least 12 suspected militants, intelligence officials said.
The drones fired several missiles at a compound in the Shawal area of the North Waziristan tribal region. Two suspected militants were wounded in the strike, officials added.
The targetted compound was in Dray Nashtar village, some 65 kilometres west of Miranshah, the main town of North Waziristan.
Local residents said militants cordoned the area around the compound and were taking out bodies and wounded colleagues.
“A fire erupted in the compound after some four to six missiles hit it,” a local tribesman told AFP, requesting anonymity as he feared militants.
Other intelligence officials said US drones fired eight missiles at a compound in tribal region near the Afghan border.
The officials say the compound that was targeted was owned by a commander allied with Hafiz Gul Bahadur, a prominent militant leader focused on fighting US and Nato forces in Afghanistan. The officials said the suspected militants who were killed were believed to be Bahadur’s fighters.
They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to talk to reporters.
“Fear prevailed in the area as more drones are still flying in the air,” sources added.
US officials had no comment. They do not often speak in detail about the covert CIA-run drone program in Pakistan.