The Foreign Office has repeatedly said there is no justification for the drone strikes, describing them as “counter-productive” and a violation of the country’s sovereignty. — Photo by AFP

PESHAWAR: Two US drone attacks killed at least 15 people Friday in northwest Pakistan’s Khyber tribal region, Pakistani intelligence and government officials said.

The strikes took place in two villages in the Tirah Valley in the tribal area, the officials said. The same valley was hit late Thursday in another US attack.

The two intelligence and two government officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to the media.

Most of the more than 100 missile attacks this year inside Pakistan have taken place in North Waziristan, a tribal area allegedly under the control of militant groups.

Pakistani officials protest the strikes, but are believed to have secretly authorised at least some of them. Analysts also say targeting information for many of the attacks is likely to be provided by Pakistani intelligence officials.

The missiles, fired from unmanned drones, hit houses in the villages of Speen Drang and Shandana, the officials said. It was unclear exactly how many people were killed in each respective village.

The missile attacks have been credited with killing many top militants, but have stirred anger in Pakistan.

The frequency of the attacks has more than doubled this year compared to last.

Opinion

Editorial

Digital growth
Updated 25 Apr, 2024

Digital growth

Democratising digital development will catalyse a rapid, if not immediate, improvement in human development indicators for the underserved segments of the Pakistani citizenry.
Nikah rights
25 Apr, 2024

Nikah rights

THE Supreme Court recently delivered a judgement championing the rights of women within a marriage. The ruling...
Campus crackdowns
25 Apr, 2024

Campus crackdowns

WHILE most Western governments have either been gladly facilitating Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza, or meekly...
Ties with Tehran
Updated 24 Apr, 2024

Ties with Tehran

Tomorrow, if ties between Washington and Beijing nosedive, and the US asks Pakistan to reconsider CPEC, will we comply?
Working together
24 Apr, 2024

Working together

PAKISTAN’S democracy seems adrift, and no one understands this better than our politicians. The system has gone...
Farmers’ anxiety
24 Apr, 2024

Farmers’ anxiety

WHEAT prices in Punjab have plummeted far below the minimum support price owing to a bumper harvest, reckless...