U.S. drones kill 21 militants in NW Pakistan

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U.S. drones kill 21 militants in NW Pakistan

By Hafiz Wazir | Reuters – 3 hours ago

WANA, Pakistan (Reuters) - Missile strikes from two U.S. drones killed at least

21 suspected militants in Pakistan's South Waziristan on Monday, Pakistani

officials said, part of an intensified U.S. assault in the tribal belt this

month.

In the first strike, a missile hit a moving vehicle in Ghalmandi Panga village

on the Afghan border, killing eight militants.

A few hours later, another drone fired three missiles into a militant training

center in Mantoi town, about 30 km north of South Waziristan's main town of

Wana.

" It was a big compound which was used as training center. Militants have

cordoned off the area and bodies are being removed from the rubble, " an

intelligence official in the region, who declined to be identified, told

Reuters. Thirteen militants were killed in the second strike.

Another official said militant casualties could rise.

There was no way to verify the deaths independently. Militants often dispute

official casualty tolls.

U.S. forces have stepped up strikes by remotely-controlled drones in Pakistan's

border regions since the killing of Osama bin Laden by U.S. forces in the

country last month.

Eighty-eight militants have been killed by U.S. drones this month, according to

a Reuters tally based on statements from intelligence officials.

Pakistan publicly opposes drone attacks, saying it complicates its efforts to

fight militants who want to topple the pro-U.S. government and impose strict

Islamic rule in the country.

The United States has been pushing Pakistan to step up its war against militants

who carry out attacks on Western forces in Afghanistan from their bases in

Pakistan's tribal belt.

(Additional reporting by Saud Mehsud; writing by Kamran Haider; editing by

Stamp)