A US drone killed three suspected militants in an attack on a compound in Kurram Agency on Friday, officials said, in the first strike since President Donald Trump vowed to crack down on Pakistan.

Officials said the strike took place in remote Ghuz Ghari village in Kurram agency, close to the Afghan border where at least five fighters from the Afghan Taliban had gathered.

“The US drone fired two missiles, at least three fighters from the Afghan Taliban have been killed and two wounded,” a senior government official in Kurram Agency told AFP.

The identities of those killed and wounded remained unclear but an intelligence official in Kurram said one of the dead belonged to the Haqqani network.

Two other mid-level government officials confirmed the strike and casualties and told AFP that the compound was completely destroyed in the attack.

The US is believed to have ordered at least two other drone attacks this year.

The first US strike under the Trump administration killed two men riding a motorbike in Kurram Agency in March, while the second suspected attack happened in late April in North Waziristan.

In a major speech outlining US policy on Afghanistan last month, Trump lambasted Pakistan for sheltering “agents of chaos” and suggested ties with Islamabad would be adjusted immediately. He offered few details.

US drone attacks inside Pakistan have become rare over the past few years. In its last high-profile attack inside Pakistan, the United States had in May 2016 killed Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour in Balochistan.

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...