PESHAWAR: A US drone strike in Afghanistan’s Paktia province near the Pak-Afghan border killed at least four suspected militants on Thursday.
According to media reports, a suspected United States (US) drone fired two missiles targeting alleged militant hideouts in the area, killing four ‘militants’.
This is the second drone strike in Paktia this week.
At least 31 people have died and 12 injured in different drone strikes targeting areas near the Pak-Afghan border in Afghanistan since earlier this week.
On Monday, at least 20 people were believed killed and 10 injured in a drone attack near the same area. Six missile strikes were reported to have been carried out.
On Tuesday, two drone strikes occurred; first one in the Khanachi area of Paktia and killed five people and injured one and another one in the Ghuzdari area of Paktia province which killed at least six people and injured one other.
The strikes targeted hideouts of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Jamat-ul-Ahrar and the Haqqani Network and a total of 10 missiles were fired.
However, the Inter-Services Public Relations denied that any strikes took place in Kurram Agency or inside Pakistani territory. It added that operations are being carried out against terrorists in Afghanistan, which involves air activity.
The statement by ISPR added that military operations are being conducted in Khost and Paktia province of Afghanistan, opposite Kurram Agency.
It added the Resolute Support Mission, the coalition forces operating in the country against the Taliban and Daesh, is sharing details about the operation within Afghan territory and the Pakistan Army is vigilant in its own area along the border area.
The recent unprecedented increase drone strikes in the Pak-Afghan border region appears to be reflective of a change in policy in Washington.