7 killed, several injured in US drone attacks in Pak

Islamabad, Jun 20: Seven suspected militants were killed and several others injured today (June 20) when US drones attacked a car and a compound in Pakistan's restive Kurram tribal region, which has rarely been targeted by the CIA-operated unmanned spy planes.

The drones carried out the missile strikes in Kharh Dand, a remote area of Kurram Agency. The region borders Afghanistan's eastern Paktia province. The drones initially targeted a vehicle, killing two suspected militants.

When some more suspected militants gathered in the area to carry out a rescue operation, the drones struck again, killing two more persons.

A drone then targeted a militant compound, killing three suspected rebels and injuring several others.

The CIA's drone campaign has largely focussed on militant hideouts in the North Waziristan and South Waziristan regions, where scores of missile strikes have been carried out in the past three years.

Officials in Kurram Agency told the media that there had been only three drone strikes reported in the region.

Kurram Agency has witnessed widespread sectarian violence between Shia and Sunni tribesmen since late 2007.

Hundreds of people have died in clashes between the rival tribesmen. The situation in the region took a turn for the worse after Taliban militants infiltrated the area and began backing the Sunnis.

A truce between the rival tribesmen, reportedly brokered by the Haqqani militant network, has repeatedly been violated in recent months.

PTI