PESHAWAR: Six suspected militants were killed when a US drone attacked a compound in North Waziristan tribal region on Saturday, security officials said.

Two missiles were fired into a compound at Zyare in Kazha Madakhel area of Dattakhel, a security official said, adding three Uzbeks, one Arab and two locals from the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) were killed.

Among the killed TTP men was a `commander’ identified as Mohammed Mustafa, the source said.

The compound was located about 3km from the Afghanistan border and the region is said to be under control of Taliban `commander’ Hafiz Gul Bahadur.

This was the first drone strike since the Taliban massacred 148 students and staff members inside a school in Peshawar on Tuesday.

The brutal act caused widespread public anger and the government declared all-out war against militants.

As the Peshawar tragedy unfolded, Army Chief Gen Raheel Sharif said the school attack had renewed the forces’ determination to push for the militants’ “final elimination”.

Published in Dawn, December 21st, 2014