PESHAWAR: Five militants, most of them foreigners, were killed in a drone strike in North Waziristan's Dattakhel area, intelligence sources said.

The sources said the identity of the militants could not be ascertained, adding that most of those killed were foreigners.

Two militants were also injured when the drone fired two missiles on a compound in Dattakhel.

This is the fourth such drone strike since the Pakistani military launched Operation Zarb-i-Azb in the militancy-infested lawless region to wipe out longstanding bases of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other militant groups.

The semi-autonomous tribal area on the Afghan border has for years been a hideout for several militant groups – including Al Qaeda and the TTP as well as foreign fighters such as Uzbeks and Uighurs.

Pakistan routinely protests against US drone strikes, saying they violate the country's sovereignty and are counterproductive in the fight against terror.

The US had suspended drone strikes for around six months when Pakistan was pursuing peace talks with the TTP but resumed the attacks in June after the talks failed.

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...