US drone strike kills five suspected militants near Pak-Afghan border

Published July 26, 2015
According to a source, the drone fired two missiles on a vehicle carrying suspected militants in Lalpur district of Afghanistan's Nangarhar province. —AP/File
According to a source, the drone fired two missiles on a vehicle carrying suspected militants in Lalpur district of Afghanistan's Nangarhar province. —AP/File

PESHAWAR: At least five suspected militants were reportedly killed in a United States drone strike in Afghanistan's Nangarhar province near the Pak-Afghan border in Khyber tribal region on Sunday.

According to a source, the drone fired two missiles on a vehicle carrying suspected militants in Lalpur district of Afghanistan's Nangarhar province, adjacent to Shilman Valley in Khyber Agency.

As a result of the strikes, at least five suspected militants were killed.

Also read: Drone strike near Khyber border kills nine, including driver of LI chief

Khyber is one of Pakistan’s seven semi-autonomous regions governed by tribal laws and lies near the porous Afghan border. These are also home to religious extremist organisations including Al Qaeda.

Military operations titled 'Khyber One' and 'Khyber Two' were launched by security forces and aimed at targeting militants in Khyber Agency, particularly the Tirah Valley of Bara which borders Nazyan, near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

The operations in Khyber tribal region were launched amid operation Zarb-i-Azb being conducted by the Pakistan Army in North Waziristan tribal region.

No one tracks drone strikes in Afghanistan — many of them take place in remote regions and are not reported.

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

Opinion

Editorial

Hasty transition
Updated 05 May, 2024

Hasty transition

Ostensibly, the aim is to exert greater control over social media and to gain more power to crack down on activists, dissidents and journalists.
One small step…
05 May, 2024

One small step…

THERE is some good news for the nation from the heavens above. On Friday, Pakistan managed to dispatch a lunar...
Not out of the woods
05 May, 2024

Not out of the woods

PAKISTAN’S economic vitals might be showing some signs of improvement, but the country is not yet out of danger....
Rigging claims
Updated 04 May, 2024

Rigging claims

The PTI’s allegations are not new; most elections in Pakistan have been controversial, and it is almost a given that results will be challenged by the losing side.
Gaza’s wasteland
04 May, 2024

Gaza’s wasteland

SINCE the start of hostilities on Oct 7, Israel has put in ceaseless efforts to depopulate Gaza, and make the Strip...
Housing scams
04 May, 2024

Housing scams

THE story of illegal housing schemes in Punjab is the story of greed, corruption and plunder. Major players in these...