At Least 16 Alleged Militants Reported Killed In U.S. Drone Attack

Pakistani intelligence officials say suspected U.S. drones fired missiles into two compounds in Pakistan's northwestern tribal region near the border with Afghanistan, killing at least 16 alleged militants.

The officials said the strikes happened on November 16 in the South Waziristan tribal district.

The area is considered to be a stronghold of Al-Qaeda and Taliban fighters. The United States does not acknowledge the CIA-run drone program in Pakistan publicly, but officials have privately said drone strikes have killed many senior Taliban and Al-Qaeda commanders.

Most of the strikes have targeted Al-Qaeda militants or Afghan Taliban insurgents battling U.S. forces in Afghanistan.

But the attacks have also killed Pakistani Taliban fighters, who are allied with Afghan militants but have focused their attacks mostly inside Pakistan.

Those killed in this latest missile strike were said to be local Taliban fighters.

compiled from agency reports