Peace and Justice Post

An unmanned US drone aircraft has reportedly carried out a missile strike on Taliban targets near Pakistan’s border with Afghanistan.

Missiles struck targets in parts of South Waziristan, in an area controlled by Pakistani Taliban leader and al-Qaeda ally Baitullah Mehsud, Pakistani intelligence officials have said.

The missile strike hit a suspected training facility in the village of Montoi in South Waziristan. A suspected militant hide-out in Kokat Khel was also hit.

There are believed to be casualties from the attack which took place early on Friday morning.

Pakistani aircraft are also reported to have carried out an attack on two targets in North Waziristan in which up to 11 people are said to have been killed.

Imran Khan, Al Jazeera’s correspondent in Islamabad, said the US military has not responded to the attacks.

“The US never ever confirms whether they are behind these suspected drone strikes but popularly, it is believed that this is the kind of attack the US has made within this very troubled area of Pakistan before and they area likely to be behind these attacks,” he said.”

“Drone strikes are causing much controversy in Pakistan – many people say they have killed a number of innocent civilians and act as more of a recruitment tool for Pakistan Taliban.”