Ethan Miller—AFP
Security official claims compound targeted in attack belonged to the Haqqani network.
A U.S. drone strike killed at least four militants in South Waziristan, security officials said Thursday.
The attack happened early Thursday in Nargas village of Azam Warsak district. “Up to four missiles were filed targeting a militant compound, killing four rebels,” said a senior security official on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to media. Another security official confirmed the attack and casualties and said that all the militants killed in the strike were foreigners.
“We are currently ascertaining their nationalities,” he added. Another security official, speaking to Newsweek, claimed three of the deceased were Uzbeks. He claimed the compound belonged to the Haqqani network.
South Waziristan is one of the seven lawless tribal districts of Pakistan that border Afghanistan. These semi-autonomous areas have for years been a hideout for Islamist militants of all stripes, including Al Qaeda and the homegrown Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) as well as foreign fighters such as Uzbeks and Uighurs.
Pakistan routinely protests against U.S. drone strikes, which have been targeting militants in the tribal areas since 2004, saying they violate its sovereignty and are counterproductive in the fight against terror. But most analysts believe the resumption of the drone program after it was suspended—reportedly to give Pakistan space for negotiations with the Taliban—is evidence of collusion between the two countries.
The Islamabad government and military officials strongly deny this.