PESHAWAR: Nine suspected militants were killed and two others injured in a US drone attack in North Waziristan on Tuesday night.

Sources said the target of the drone strike was a compound believed to be used by the Haqqani network in Shawal tehsil near Afghan border. Those killed included two associates of the Haqqani group, the sources said, four belonged to the group of Commander Hafiz Gul Bah­adur and three were Uzbeks.

According to the sources, the drone fired two missiles at the compound in the Kund Sar area. Two people were injured and a vehicle parked nearby was destroyed.

It was not possible to confirm the report or get the names of the deceased and the injured.

In Islamabad, the Foreign Office condemned the strike and called for an end to drone attacks, saying the operation in North Waziris­tan had taken away the rationale, if any, for such strikes.

“The government of Pak­istan is itself taking decisive action against terrorist elements in North Waziristan Agency, thus rendering such strikes completely unnecessary,” a Foreign Office statement said.

Published in Dawn, November 27th , 2014