At least five suspected militants were killed and several others injured when a US drone fired missiles at a compound in Khushhali Torikhel area near Mirali on Thursday. Mirali is one of the main towns in North Waziristan Agency. Locals believe that the number of casualties is much more, as the area is a known haven for local and foreign militants. However, officials in the tribal administration did not confirm the claims.Reports said the drone fired four missiles on the compound, which completely destroyed the compound and a motor bike and killed or injured almost all occupants. The Taliban from the surrounding areas shifted the bodies to an undisclosed place. The identity of those killed and injured could not be immediately determined, but locals said the dead included foreigners associated with al Qaeda and other militant groups. For a long time, Khushhali Torikhel has been known as a heaven for foreign militants. Al Qaeda’s top commanders like Abu Laith Al-Laibi, Yahya Al-Laibi and several others have been killed in US drone attacks in this particular part of North Waziristan. The Thursday morning drone attack was the seventh in January in Waziristan agencies. More than 40, including top commanders of banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, have been killed in these attacks.
