A missile strike against a suspected militant hideout in the Pakistani semi-autonomous tribal region of South Waziristan has killed at least 18 people.
The attack took place Sunday in Wana, the administrative center of the tribal region bordering Afghanistan, where Pakistani army has been fighting militants linked to al-Qaida and the Taliban.
Witnesses say the strike destroyed the house of a suspected militant tribal leader known as Noorullah. Local media reported several foreign nationals, including Arabs, were present in the compound during the attack.
It is not clear who fired the missile. But U.S drones (unmanned aircraft) have previously carried out missile strikes on suspected militants in Pakistani tribal regions.
Officials of the U.S.-led coalition forces in Afghanistan have not commented on the incident. A Pakistani army spokesman, Major-General Athar Abbas distanced the military from the incident.
The attack took place Sunday in Wana, the administrative center of the tribal region bordering Afghanistan, where Pakistani army has been fighting militants linked to al-Qaida and the Taliban.
Witnesses say the strike destroyed the house of a suspected militant tribal leader known as Noorullah. Local media reported several foreign nationals, including Arabs, were present in the compound during the attack.
It is not clear who fired the missile. But U.S drones (unmanned aircraft) have previously carried out missile strikes on suspected militants in Pakistani tribal regions.
Officials of the U.S.-led coalition forces in Afghanistan have not commented on the incident. A Pakistani army spokesman, Major-General Athar Abbas distanced the military from the incident.