Drone attack kills four in North Waziristan

MIRANSHAH: At least four people were killed when an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) fired missiles on a compound in North Waziristan tribal agency, sources told Geo News on Sunday.

Sources said the compound was destroyed in the drone attack which took place in Shawal, about 55 kilometres (35 miles) west of Miranshah, the main town in North Waziristan agency.

The drone aircraft fired two missiles at the compound, completely destroying it, they said.

Eyewitnesses said four bodies have been dug out from under the rubble of the compound. None of the bodies have so far been identified.

Shawal valley lies on the border of Pakistan's North Waziristan and South Waziristan tribal areas.

North Waziristan is among Pakistan’s seven tribal districts near the Afghan border which are rife with insurgents and are said to be strongholds of Taliban and Al Qaeda operatives.

In June last year, the military launched an all-out operation named 'Zarb-i-Azb' to cleanse North Waziristan of terrorists.

Drone attacks are widely unpopular across Pakistan and according to survey conducted in June 2013, 66 percent of the country's citizens oppose these strikes.