US drone attack kills five
Published: Friday, 5 September 2008, 9:25AM
At least five Islamist militants have been killed in a missile attack by a suspected US drone in Pakistan.
"Two drones were flying in the area. They fired three missiles," said a witness in the North Waziristan region, near the Afghan border.
It is the second such attack in the area in as many days.
A missile strike on Thursday by a suspected US drone killed four Islamist militants and wounded five others, Pakistani security officials and witnesses said.
As Pakistan prepares to elect a new president on Saturday, the Pentagon said the US would pursue its enemies.
"We are going to pursue terrorists wherever they operate, plan their operations, try to seek safe harbour," Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said.
Earlier this week, US commandos attacked an al-Qaeda target in Pakistan in an operation that could signal a more intense American bid to stop militant attacks in Afghanistan.
US officials are frustrated that Pakistan has not done enough to combat militants operating in the shared border area.
The Bush administration has not officially acknowledged any involvement in the attack on the South Waziristan village of Angor Adda on Wednesday that killed up to 20 people, including women and children.
Pentagon officials said the raid targeted suspected operatives and aimed to disrupt militant safe havens, which pose an escalating threat to coalition and Nato forces just across the border.
© Independent Television News Limited 2008. All rights reserved.
