PESHAWAR, July 6: A ‘commander’ of the Haqqani network and an Al Qaeda operative were among the 17 people killed in drone strike in North Waziristan earlier this week, according to official sources.

They said those killed in the strike in Serai Darpakhel area near Miramshah Bazaar included Mullah Akhtar Zadran, a ‘commander’ of the Haqqani network, and Abu Saif Al-Jazeri, an operative of Al Qaeda.

Also killed in the strike are said to be two Punjabi militant ‘commanders’ — Rana Ashraf and Naveed Butt. The other 13 victims were ‘foot soldiers’, the sources said.

However, there was no independent confirmation of the claim.

Local people are never allowed to go near the scene of a drone strike, which is immediately cordoned off by militants to retrieve the dead and wounded. Government officials rely on local contacts and radio intercepts to figure out the identities of the victims.

Opinion

Editorial

Military option
Updated 21 Nov, 2024

Military option

While restoring peace is essential, addressing Balochistan’s socioeconomic deprivation is equally important.
HIV/AIDS disaster
21 Nov, 2024

HIV/AIDS disaster

A TORTUROUS sense of déjà vu is attached to the latest health fiasco at Multan’s Nishtar Hospital. The largest...
Dubious pardon
21 Nov, 2024

Dubious pardon

IT is disturbing how a crime as grave as custodial death has culminated in an out-of-court ‘settlement’. The...
Islamabad protest
Updated 20 Nov, 2024

Islamabad protest

As Nov 24 draws nearer, both the PTI and the Islamabad administration must remain wary and keep within the limits of reason and the law.
PIA uncertainty
20 Nov, 2024

PIA uncertainty

THE failed attempt to privatise the national flag carrier late last month has led to a fierce debate around the...
T20 disappointment
20 Nov, 2024

T20 disappointment

AFTER experiencing the historic high of the One-day International series triumph against Australia, Pakistan came...