LADHA, Sept 18: A fierce gunbattle between troops and militants took place here on Sunday as both tried to seize the debris of a US drone that crashed in Zangara area of South Waziristan in the morning.

According to official sources, Capt Rizwan and a soldier of Punjab Regiment were injured and three militants were killed in the clash.

Local Taliban ‘commander’ Azmatullah Dewana claimed his group had downed the unmanned plane with an anti-aircraft gun.

“We have shot down a plane loaded with two missiles and our fighters have got hold of its wreckage,” he told this correspondent by phone. He denied reports about the death of three Taliban fighters in a clash.

The sources said that the drone had crashed at about 8am and heavy firing took place in the area. They said messages intercepted in the area indicated that militants had been discussing their plan to fire at the plane.

However, officials said a technical fault had caused the crash of the drone.

Assistant Political Agent Nawab Khan confirmed that the incident triggered a clash between security forces and militants. The sources said troops rushed towards the place to seize the plane’s wreckage and clashed with militants in a bid to secure the area.

They said that Cobra helicopters were also sent from Miramshah in North Waziristan to help ground forces.

The banned Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan’s chief Baitullah Mehsud was killed in the same area in a missile attack on Aug 5, 2009.