Pakistan Condemns Suspected Drone Strike

Supporters of the banned Pakistani hard-line Islamic group Jamaat ud-Dawa shout anti-U.S. slogans during a protest in Lahore against drone attacks in Pakistani tribal areas.

Pakistan's government has condemned a suspected U.S. drone attack that killed six people in the country's restive tribal areas.

Pakistani officials say two missiles hit the men, believed to be militants, crossing into neighboring Afghanistan from the Shawal area of the North Waziristan tribal agency late on July 28.

A spokesman for Pakistan's Foreign Office said in a statement on July 29 that the "unilateral strikes are a violation of Pakistan's sovereignty and territorial integrity."

The statement added that "drone strikes are counterproductive, entail loss of innocent civilian lives, and have human rights and humanitarian implications."

North Waziristan is a sanctuary for Pakistani, Afghan, and Al-Qaeda-linked militants.

It is the fourth suspected U.S. drone attack inside Pakistan since Nawaz Sharif was sworn in as prime minister in June.

Sharif has called for an immediate end to the strikes.

Based on reporting by dpa and AFP