MIRAMSHAH: At least 17 people were killed and two others injured in a US drone attack which targeted a house in the North Waziristan tribal region late on Tuesday night.

Sources told Dawn.com that the drone fired four missiles on the house near Miramshah bazaar in Sirai Darpakhel area, targeting the Haqqani residential compound and a car. The head commander Haji Shahrifullah of Haqqani, a militant network, is said to be safe, whereas 17 people were killed and two others injured in the attack.

Intelligence sources confirmed the death toll.

US officials consider the Haqqani network to be one of the most dangerous militant factions fighting American troops in Afghanistan.

The leadership of the Haqqani network pledges allegiance to Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Omar but operates fairly independently.

The drone attack was the biggest launched this year and the second since Nawaz Sharif took office as prime minister following his victory in the May 11 elections.

Nawaz has called for an immediate end to US drone strikes on the grounds they breach of Pakistan's sovereignty.