ISLAMABAD: Two dozen tribesmen are staging a silent protest in Pakistan's capital against US missile strikes along the Afghan border.

The protesters in Islamabad identified themselves as relatives of civilians killed or wounded in the drone-fired strikes. They have threatened to sue the United States unless it agrees to hundreds of millions in compensation for victims.

The men hail from the North Waziristan tribal region near Afghanistan. They displayed banners criticizing the CIA-sponsored attacks while sitting silently near the parliament building on Thursday.

Pakistan publicly condemns the strikes but is believed to secretly aid them. Civilians are sometimes said to be among the dead, but some residents say the strikes are very accurate in targeting militants.– AP