US drone attack kills 27 in Pakistan

Islamabad: At least 27 people, including militants, were killed Saturday in a US drone attack in northwest Pakistan, media reports said.

The drone fired two missiles at a militant hideout in Damadola area of Bajaur tribal agency, killing 27 people and injuring several others, the ARY News channel reported.

The hideout was located near the house of Taliban deputy chief Moulvi Faqir Muhammad.

Officials said several militants were among those killed. The nephew and son-in-law of Faqir Muhammad were also killed. Faqir fled the compound 10 minutes before the attack, they said.

The militants were holding a meeting in the hideout at the time of the attack, Xinhua reported.

Damadola and its adjoining areas near Afghanistan’s eastern Kunar province are considered to be the strongholds of Taliban.

The US has intensified drone attacks in the tribal areas of Pakistan despite Islamabad’s protest against the offensives. Islamabad said the drone attacks killed more than 400 people in Pakistan since August 2008.

IANS | Sat, 24 Oct 2009

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