Second drone attack of the day kills three suspected militants in NWA

E-Paper | March 18, 2026

PESHAWAR: A fresh drone strike left three suspected militants dead and five others injured in North Waziristan Agency on Tuesday, intelligence sources said.

This is the second attack of the day and fourth such strike in last three days. At least seven suspected militants were killed and five others injured in a similar strike earlier in the day.

Highly credible sources told Dawn.com that a US drone fired two missiles at a compound in Madakhel Kunar Sar area of North Waziristan’s Datakhel tehsil, killing three suspected militants. Five suspected militants were injured in the attack as well.

The sources said that the suspected militants were standing on a mountain near the targeted compound at the time of drone attack.

Identity of the militants could not be ascertained as yet.

Seven suspected militants killed in North Waziristan drone attack

At least seven suspected militants were killed and five others injured Tuesday in a US drone strike on a compound and a vehicle in the Shawal tehsil of North Waziristan tribal region.

Official sources said the US drone fired two missiles at the house and the car in Shawal tehsil's Kund Ghar area, killing at least seven suspected militants and injuring five others.

Sources added that the compound of militant commander Mustaqeem was targeted in the strike, adding that the identity of the deceased militants is yet to be ascertained.

Earlier on Monday, an unmanned drone killed eight persons and wounded six others in Shawal district of North Waziristan tribal region.

Intelligence sources said the drone targeted the residence of Taliban commander Habib.

Also read: Drone strike kills eight, wounds six in North Waziristan

Meanwhile, a US drone strike in South Waziristan tribal region's Shawal area on Sunday killed at least five persons.

Take a look: Drone strike kills five in South Waziristan

North Waziristan is among Pakistan’s seven tribal districts near the Afghan border which are rife with homegrown insurgents and are alleged to be strongholds of Taliban and Al Qaeda operatives, among others.

Pakistan's military in mid-June had launched an all-out operation, named 'Zarb-i-Azb', against Taliban militants in the region which is still under way.

Drone attacks are widely unpopular across Pakistan and according to survey conducted in June this year, 66 per cent of the country's citizens oppose these strikes.

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aceleaf

Oct 07, 2014 03:46pm

Commendable job. Needed more of this sort.

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Alad

Oct 07, 2014 04:11pm

Good Job. Thank you USA for cleaning up our mess

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timi

Oct 07, 2014 05:20pm

It's nice to see that the nonsense in Syria and Iraq have not removed the focus on the bad guys in Pakistan as well.

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watchman

Oct 07, 2014 06:16pm

Please kill them all,We do not want them. Thanks for help.

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Jat

Oct 07, 2014 08:25pm

Where is Imran Khan ? Why does he not speak out against the drones ? Stop NATO supplies ? Stage a dharna on the highway ? He no longer feels the pain of his brothers dying ?

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asif

Oct 07, 2014 08:27pm

Dawn please correct your version and story drone attack was never unpopular in Pakistan we need more such attacks against thoes who killed innocent men women children in name of islam

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Dr. Sadaf

Oct 07, 2014 09:07pm

Everybody is feeling very happy that this clean up operation is going on but has anyone of you realized about the collateral damage involved in these activities, how many innocent women and children are also killed. There is no development there, people are actually living in stone age in this part of Pakistan. How do we know that this will one day end and we will be able to build up those areas again and provide health and education facilities there. I have a feeling that it might be the need of the hour but these will never stop because that is what the West wants, unrest on these border areas resulting into terrorism inside the country.

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imran memon

Oct 07, 2014 09:11pm

Thank you very much United States of America as you have always stood through thick and thin and especially in this case where you are eradicating the greatest menace on earth 'The Taliban' and their allies. I wish our hypocrite politician learn something from the American policy of National interest

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Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad

Oct 07, 2014 09:43pm

The centuries old jungle law of "might is right" is in full action. What a great tragedy?

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Ahmer

Oct 07, 2014 09:52pm

Thanks you, Drones. Please clean up the mess. Every Pakistani is happy except the FO.

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Taimoor Khan

Oct 07, 2014 10:18pm

Why all of the sudden these drones have propped up their ugly head again? Its seems the government of Pakistan has allowed it again to put pressure on Imran Khan. Dirty politics at the worst level which is dragging the name of Pakistan and giving our enemies something to laugh about. Shoot these intruders down , under no pretext they should be allowed to enter an inch of Pakistani airspace.

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arif

Oct 07, 2014 10:55pm

This is mercyless act happens in our country and that to by america we are becoming mere spectector nothing else.... hope india can destroy our nation instead destroyed by this western people.

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Davis

Oct 07, 2014 11:13pm

My question to CIA, it is great to see drone attack in Pakistan on the terrorists but what about terrorists in Afghanistan such as Mullah Fazalulah who is operating openly near Afghan border. An attack on his camp will win a lot of hearts in Pakistan.

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khan

Oct 07, 2014 11:14pm

@Dr. Sadaf very well said Dr.Sadaf I totally agree with you....I wish there is some one who could make this stop and let us live peacefuully..

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Subhash

Oct 07, 2014 11:19pm

@Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad Have all these Doctor's in Pakistan gone mad??

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ravi vancouver

Oct 07, 2014 11:45pm

@Dr. Sadaf You are right all those killed are innocent as none of them proved guilty. Killing just on suspicion or whatever reson is inhuman against any religion of the world and violation of human rights.

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Ahmer

Oct 08, 2014 12:20am

The fact that Drone strikes had to be restarted does not speak too high of the success of Zarb-e-Azb. One can only hope that our generals are not playing their old game any more.

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numbersnumbers

Oct 08, 2014 12:20am

@arif And of course you must have been asleep over the last decade while these same TTP targeted (with pakistani help) by drones slaughtered, maimed and orphaned some 20,000 plus PAKISTANIS!

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Hassan Naqvi

Oct 08, 2014 12:24am

Good job USA

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Inqelabzindabad

Oct 08, 2014 12:25am

@arif Neither will, you will do it yourself.

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malick

Oct 08, 2014 12:37am

@Jat ......Please note that drones are with the consent of NS and his government. IK doing job up to his best and his awareness to nation is a great sucess. Nation is completely tired from PMLN and PPP, no supporting to IK.

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Anis Ansari

Oct 08, 2014 12:53am

@Dr. Sadaf ::: Have you heard the saying, IF YOU WILL BUILD, THEY WILL COME. Why wait. Go ahead and build and develop and prosper now.

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Aamir

Oct 08, 2014 01:27am

Good Job, USA. Smoke them all.

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unbelievable

Oct 08, 2014 02:11am

Drone attacks just demonstrate that the Pakistani army isn't clearing out the terrorist ... guess you should either put in more soldiers or a few journalist to clear up the confusion.

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Kabir

Oct 08, 2014 03:21am

@arif My brother we Indians will not destroy your nation, we want to live along with you my dear. However, Pak army and top brass have to clean up their act. On one side they don't like drones on the other side they inform them where to hit. How does America knows how many killed and how many injured.

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ladies and gentlemen

Oct 08, 2014 03:39am

@Dr. Sadaf Have you missed out on the fact that lack of development in those areas is not because of US. More accurately, even Pakistani government does not feel it has much say in those agencies. People who harbor extremists and live by the gun only understand the language of guns. I am assuming you are a medical doctor, had the privilege of education that was possible because the men in you culture did not hold you back from going out of the house. Feel free to go there and change the minds of those stone age people about giving up the gun culture and accepting modern education. Perhaps then they wont be harboring the foreign jihadis then. Drones are still better than F-16 when it comes to minimizing collateral damage.

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ladies and gentlemen

Oct 08, 2014 03:40am

@arif What pearls of wisdom? Please stop.

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Ravi Dallas TX

Oct 08, 2014 06:45am

amazed people still sympathize with militants giving twisted reasonings

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Singh

Oct 08, 2014 06:45am

In 1947 two countries got freedom, India and Pakistan, India reached Mars, but, Pakistan is still trying to enter India and US is throwing drones on it, Bin Laden found in Pakistan, really shameful. Come-up, think think think, is this what your are planning for your kids ?

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Ravi Dallas TX

Oct 08, 2014 07:08am

@arif : sorry you don't make any sense. Why would India destroy any country? And why air strikes on militants who attacked Pakistani airport and several other and killed thousands of Pakistanis , is a bd thing?

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brmurr

Oct 08, 2014 07:37am

@Taimoor Khan It seems that you'd rather harbor and comfort terrorists from various countries, in spite of the fact that they've killed tens of thousands of your fellow countrymen over the last decade. These people have hi jacked your country, yet you complain because the U.S. helps your people to eliminate this threat to Pakistans future. Do you feel some sort of pride from having these intolerant extremists in your country? Please help me understand your reasoning.

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Mohammad Saleem

Oct 08, 2014 08:03am

Drone attacks are actually of strategic values that should persist. Those who oppose such vitally important strikes, are in cahoots with barbarain terrorists.

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Mohammad Saleem

Oct 08, 2014 08:06am

@Jat What unadultrated nonsense

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71's BOY

Oct 08, 2014 08:19am

Pakistan has lost sovereignty. How it possible! drone strike in a sovereign country. If there are any terrorist group, Pakistan security force should do it what is being done by US drone.

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kalim

Oct 08, 2014 08:38am

USA has a lot of arms and amunitions so wanna use it on Pakistan, Afhanistan, Iraq etc. Billions of dollars have been spent on this war on terror but what is the outcome? If such huge amount was spent on education, communication, development and uplift of these terrorists would had positive impact than negative. If they kill innocent people say they were terrorists. who will investigate weither terrorists are killed or innocent? if innocents are killed what can we do????

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roza

Oct 08, 2014 10:19am

National bird !!!!!!!!!

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Benaam

Oct 08, 2014 03:23pm

How about NATO blockade and a dharna.....where is Imran Khan?

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Shan

Oct 08, 2014 05:52pm

God Job USA Keep kick them and kill them.

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sunny

Oct 09, 2014 12:02am

This is another brutal,savage,inhumane ,racist and fascist attack by US on Pakistani people.I strongly condemn this act.US people are doing extra judicial killing on Pakistan soil.Killing of innocent people is illegal.

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