U.S. drone kills 4 in NW Pakistan

Xinhua, October 15, 2011

A U.S. unmanned aircraft Friday fired missiles into Pakistan's insurgents-infested North Waziristan tribal region and killed at least four people, local media reported.

The drone fired two missiles on a house and a vehicle at Darpakhel area, near the Afghan border, Express TV reported.

It was not immediately know as to who was targeted in the attack.

Darpakhel, located just three kilometers from Miranshah, center of North Waziristan, had once housed religious schools and homes of the members of Taliban-linked Haqqani network.

It is the third U.S. strike in the Waziristan tribal region in two days.

On Thursday, U.S. drones carried out two strikes in North and South Waziristan and had reportedly killed 7 suspected militants including a commander of the Haqqani network.

Pakistani and the U.S. security officials have confirmed the death of Janbaz Zadran also known as Jamil. He was the lieutenant of Badruddin Haqqani, brother of Sirajuddin Haqqani, leader the group.

Pakistani media reported that Jamil was in-charge of the logistic affairs of the Haqqani network but he was not member of the Haqqani family.

Pakistan is under U.S. pressure to launch major operation against the Haqqani network, blamed for two attacks on U.S. embassy in Kabul and a truck bomb attack on an U.S. military base in Maidan Wardak province.

The United States has again stepped up drone strikes amid tension between the United States and Pakistan over Haqqani network. Top U.S. military leaders claim that Pakistan has links with the Haqqani network and supported the group in their two attacks in Afghanistan on the U.S. embassy and a military base last month. Pakistan dismissed the charges as irresponsible.