ISLAMABAD, March 10 (Xinhua) -- A suspected U.S. drone attack left at least three persons killed and three others injured in the tribal area of Pakistan's North Waziristan on Wednesday, local sources said.
The U.S. unmanned fighter fired four missile targeting the militants at Maizer Madhakhel, a densely-populated area, in tehsil Datakhel near Miranshah, the center of North Waziristan, killing three terrorists. However, the death toll is feared to increase.
Earlier, nine Al-Qaida members were killed on Monday when a U.S. drone fired five missiles at a hotel near Miranshah where the militants were holding a meeting.
In 2009, North Waziristan, bordering Afghanistan, witnessed very few such attacks. But at the beginning of 2010, drone attacks have become a routine as it was the second attack of its kind in the last three days in the area.
Last year, a CIA base in Afghanistan was attacked killing seven important U.S. intelligence operatives. The Americans officials then vowed to revenge the hit. Since then North Waziristan is the focus of the attacks as hit against the CIA base was attributed to Haqqani network, named after Jallaudin Haqqani who allegedly believed to be based in the area.
One son of Jallaudin Haqqani was reported killed in such an attack carried out earlier. But his another son who allegedly took charge of the network from his elderly father is still alive. The U.S. blames the network to have links with Al-Qaida and harming the U.S.-led NATO forces in Afghanistan across the border.
