Accessibility links

Breaking News

Pakistan Officials Say Drone Strike Targeted Taliban Camp


A local official in Pakistan's South Waziristan tribal region says a U.S. drone has fired two missiles at a Taliban training camp.

The official told the AFP news agency that the strike on April 17 killed five militants from Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan in the Baber Ghar area.

The area is a stronghold of Pakistani Taliban leader Hakimullah Mesud.

Another unnamed official confirmed the attack to AFP. Pakistan routinely denounces the drone strikes publicly but leaked U.S. diplomatic cables indicate some Pakistani leaders privately support the attacks.

This latest strike comes after the UN's special rapporteur on counterterrorism and human rights, Ben Emmerson, visited Islamabad last month to investigate Pakistani civilian casualties in drone strikes.

Emmerson said U.S. drone strikes violate Pakistan's sovereignty.

Based on reporting by AFP and Interfax

RFE/RL has been declared an "undesirable organization" by the Russian government.

If you are in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine and hold a Russian passport or are a stateless person residing permanently in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine, please note that you could face fines or imprisonment for sharing, liking, commenting on, or saving our content, or for contacting us.

To find out more, click here.

XS
SM
MD
LG