U.S. drones fired missiles into a Pakistani tribal region on Friday, killing 12 people, including five foreigners, in an area known as a stronghold of Pakistani Taliban commander Baitullah Mehsud. Pakistani officials said the attack targeted a house in a remote village on the border between North and South Waziristan, where Mehsud, an ally of al Qaeda, has been bottled up by Pakistani forces since early this year.

“We have reports that 12 people were killed, including five foreigners,“ a paramilitary official told Reuters by telephone from the area.

A relative and aides to Mehsud, and Pakistani government and paramilitary officials said the attack happened at around 1:45 a.m. (2045 GMT), and at least three missiles were fired.

Frustrated by fighters from Pakistan fuelling the Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan and fearful of al Qaeda regrouping, U.S. forces have intensified missile attacks by pilotless drones since early September.

A U.S. commando raid on Sept. 3 was the first time the lid has been raised on the use of ground forces on Pakistani territory and led to a diplomatic storm between the allies.

Pakistan has condemned the violations of its territory and argues that the attacks fuel anger towards the United States and undermines the government’s own efforts to garner people’s support for the campaign against militancy.

The latest attack coincided with a visit by the commander of NATO-led forces in Afghanistan to Islamabad.

General David McKiernan met with Pakistani parliamentarians at the U.S. embassy on Thursday to brief them on the security situation and efforts to combat the militancy threat, according to a lawmaker who attended, but requested anonymity.

WELT ONLINE

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