Five killed in US drone strike in Pak’s Khyber region

PESHAWAR - At least five persons were killed and many others injured in a suspected US drone strike in Khyber region of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) of Pakistan.

While unmanned Predator aircrafts regularly target militant hideouts located in the volatile tribal regions along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, the missile hit, which military and intelligence officials said targeted a house and a truck loaded with extremists, is probably the first such drone attack in the region.

The death toll could not be confirmed independently with some sources saying it could be anywhere between five to fifteen, The Dawn reports.

Although Pakistan publicly opposes the attacks, saying they violate its sovereignty and fuel anti-American sentiments amongst the population, it is believed that it was sharing intelligence with the US about the insurgents and their hide-outs.

More than 850 people have been killed in over 90 such strikes in Pakistan since August 2008, with a surge in the past year as President Barack Obama has put Pakistan at the heart of his fight against Al-Qaeda. (ANI)