Suspected U.S. drone raid kills 3 in NW Pakistan

At least three people were killed and two others were injured Tuesday when a suspected U.S. drone fired missiles targeting a hideout of Taliban militants in northwest Pakistan's tribal area, official sources said.

Local sources said that three missiles were fired by a pilotless U.S. drone, killing at least four people and injured another two in Datta Khel area of North Waziristan, a terrain tribal region bordering Afghanistan.

On last Wednesday, a drone raid in the same area killed at least 14 people.

Pakistani security officials said that over 50 such attacks have targeted the sanctuaries of militants in northwestern border regions in 2009, which killed more than 400 people including top Al-Qaeda fighters.

In 2008, the drone strikes reached 32 which killed 240 people but Pakistan has been demanding U.S. to stop the raids as it could undermine efforts to cope with militancy because the civilian casualties sparked public rage.

Pakistan has also asked U.S. to provide drone technology to boost its performance in the war against militancy but the United States only agreed to provide spying drones.

Source: Xinhua