Suspected US Drone Attack Targets Militant Hideout in Pakistan

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Suspected US Drone Attack Targets Militant Hideout in Pakistan

By VOA News

01 April 2009

Pakistani officials say a suspected U.S. pilotless aircraft, Predator drone,

fired two missiles at an alleged militant hideout in northwestern Pakistan

Wednesday, killing 12 people.

Officials say the attack took place in a remote area of the Orakzai tribal

region near the Afghan border.

It comes just one day after the leader of Pakistan's Taliban, Baitullah Mehsud,

claimed responsibility for a deadly assault in Lahore that he said was in

retaliation for U.S. drone attacks in the country's tribal regions. In

interviews with news organizations, including VOA, he also threatened attacks

against the United States.

U.S. officials have said repeatedly that eliminating militant bases in

Pakistan's tribal regions is key to winning the war on terror and stabilizing

Afghanistan.

An estimated 30 missile strikes have been carried out on suspected al-Qaida and

Taliban targets since last year. U.S. military officials never confirm the

strikes, which are usually carried out by armed forces and Central Intelligence

Agency (CIA) employees from Afghanistan.

Pakistan's government condemns the drone attacks as counterproductive and a

violation of its territorial sovereignty.

Last week, President Barack Obama unveiled a comprehensive new strategy to fight

insurgents in Afghanistan and stabilize Pakistan. The new policy includes the

deployment of more U.S. troops, training for the Afghan police forces,

development for the tribal areas and increased diplomatic efforts.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP and AP.