A US drone strike in North Waziristan killed up to 21 Afghan fighters allegedly from the al Qaeda-linked Haqqani network, as US Ambassador to Pakistan Cameron Munter sought Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani’s help in easing travel restrictions imposed by Pakistan on American diplomats.
Pakistani officials said a US drone fired two missiles at a compound in the village of Kharooni near a Christian cemetery situated around three kilometres outside of Miranshah, destroying the compound and a vehicle parked outside it. “More dead bodies have been dug out of the debris. Twenty-one militants from the Haqqani group were killed and three were injured,” a Pakistani security official told AFP in Peshawar.
“It was Haqqani’s compound and his fighters were using it as a camp. They used to gather around for midnight food,” said another Pakistani official, referring to Muslims’ pre-dawn meal (Sehr) during the fasting month of Ramadan. “All those killed were Haqqani’s men and Afghans, but we have reports that some Arabs and Uzbeks were also present at the time of attack and were killed,” the official added on condition of anonymity.
Some Pakistani officials put the death toll at 18 but acknowledged that more bodies were being dug out of the rubble. Residents in Miranshah reported hearing two huge blasts a minute apart as they were waking up for Sehr. One resident told AFP that he later saw 16 coffins laid out in the back of vehicles, which were then taken to a nearby graveyard.
Meanwhile, Ambassador Munter called on General Kayani and discussed with him the contentious issue of travel curbs against the American diplomats in detail. “Ambassador Munter told General Kayani that the curbs on US diplomats have been causing serious problems for them and they should be allowed to move freely as they were doing before the imposition of restrictions, in order to perform their duties,” said a senior official here, who asked not to be identified by name.
He said the US ambassador also sought General Kayani’s help in easing the restrictions, but the army chief did not give any immediate response to Munter’s request. According to the official, General Kayani once again asked for a review of US drone attack policy, saying these assaults had proven to be counter-productive and should be stopped immediately.
