ISLAMABAD: Pakistani intelligence officials say US drones have fired eight missiles at a compound in the country's northwest tribal region near the Afghan border, killing nine suspected militants.  

The officials say the compound that was targeted on Monday in Dre Nishter village in the North Waziristan tribal area was owned by a commander allied with Hafiz Gul Bahadur, a prominent militant leader focused on fighting US and Nato forces in Afghanistan.

The Pakistani officials say the nine suspected militants who were killed were believed to be Bahadur's fighters. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to reporters.

US officials had no comment. They do not often speak in detail about the covert CIA-run drone program in Pakistan.