MIRAMSHAH/WANA, Sept 30 Nine militants, five of them foreigners, were killed and four others injured in a missile attack by a US drone in Mirali area of North Waziristan on Wednesday.

This was the third drone attack in Waziristan in two days. Two places in North and South Waziristan were attacked by the pilotless planes on Tuesday, killing at least 12 people.

Sources said that on Wednesday missiles from a drone hit two vehicles parked near a compound in Nowrek area, some 25km east of the regional headquarters.

“The vehicles were entering the compound when the missiles were fired,” a security official said. He said the compound was owned by local tribesman Baddin and foreign militants frequently visited the place.

Both the vehicles were destroyed and nine people, including three Uzbeks, one Arab and one Chechen, were killed. Local people said there was no foreigner among those killed. The injured were taken to an unspecified place.

Agencies add Kalimullah Mehsud, younger brother of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan chief Hakimullah Mehsud, was killed during a recent clash with security forces in Makeen area of South Waziristan.

TTP spokesman Qari Hussain vowed to avenge Kalimullah's killing by carrying out suicide attacks in different parts of the country. He said 28-year-old Kalimullah was killed two days ago when a group of Taliban attacked a paramilitary fort in Cheg Ser area near Razmak, North Waziristan.

Talking to Dawn by telephone on Wednesday, Qari Hussain said “We will take revenge of the assassination of Baitullah and Kalimullah.” He claimed that suicide bombers had been sent to their destinations.

Qari Hussain, who is known for training suicide bombers, has declared himself as a spokesman for Hakimullah.

He said that during the attack on the fort in Cheg Ser eight Taliban were killed and 12 others wounded. He warned that if Mehsud tribesmen raised a lashkar against the Taliban its repercussion would be serious for the people and the government.

“We think Mehsuds are very wise and they will not commit the mistake of organising a lashkar against the Taliban,” he said.

Meanwhile, elders of the Mehsud tribe have asked the government to set up relief camps for displaced people in Dera Ismail Khan and Tank. The elders, representing all clans of the Mehsud tribe, met in Tank on Wednesday. They said that families were leaving the area because of the possibility of military operation and, therefore, the government should set up relief camps.

They later met the political agent and asked him to open roads to enable the people to move to safe places. They said that the entire Mehsud tribe should not be treated as Taliban.