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Today's Paper | April 29, 2024

Published 09 Apr, 2009 12:00am

Four militants killed in US drone attack

WANA, April 8 A suspected US pilotless plane killed four militants in an attack on a vehicle in South Waziristan on Wednesday.

According to reports reaching here, the militants who were going to Gangikhel from Azam Warsak in a pick-up truck fired at the drone flying over the area.

The drone left the area but returned after some time and fired missile at the vehicle, destroying the pick-up and killing all the occupants.

An official said the militants hailed from Punjab, but he could not give their names.

Local people said the militants belonged to the Maulvi Nazir group who had set up his network in an area inhabited mostly by the Ahmadzai Wazir tribe.

Militants cordoned off the area after the missile attack and took away the bodies.

AFP adds “Drone initially flew over mountains around Gangikhel, where the Taliban have some positions. There was some ground fire towards one of the drones and they left the area,” said one security official, on condition of anonymity.

“Drones returned after some time and targeted a vehicle, which was parked near some shops. Three people were killed in the attack. Four others were wounded — they were either shopkeepers or local residents,” the official said.

It was not immediately clear whether any high-value targets were killed. Another security official had earlier said it was not known whether the target was a vehicle or a house.

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