MIRAMSHAH, Nov 7: Thirteen people, some Arabs among them, were killed in a missile attack on a residential compound in Kamsum area of North Waziristan on Friday.

Local people said the compound belonged to tribesman Alaf Khan Madakhel. It was used by militants as a hideout.

Alaf Khan is said to be an associate of Hafiz Gul Behadur who leads a large group of militants in the area adjacent to South Waziristan near the Afghan border.

Sources said that an unmanned plane was flying overhead when two missiles struck the compound at about 10am.

The assistant political agent of Razmak confirmed the attack, but said he had no details about casualties.

He said a team had been sent to the area.

According to local people, eight bodies were retrieved from the debris.

US-led forces in Afghanistan have intensified missile attacks in North and South Waziristan. US drones have carried out 17 attacks in the border area since September 1.

AFP adds: It was not immediately clear if there were any high-value targets among those killed, but sources said seven Al Qaeda operatives and a local Taliban commander were among the dead.

An intelligence official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: “The strike successfully destroyed the camp.”

“The militants were using the facility for training,” another official said.

Unconfirmed media reports have said senior Al Qaeda operatives Abu Jihad Al-Masri, described by the United States government as the terror network’s propaganda chief, and Khalid Habib, a regional commander, died in missile strikes in October.

According to our correspondent in Wana, the Brigade Headquarters in Zari Noor colony in South Waziristan came under a rocket attack on Thursday night.

No casualty was reported.