Unsanctioned US strikes kill 8 in Pakistan

Press TV, Wed Oct 27, 2010 5:45PM

Two separate non-UN-sanctioned drone attacks have killed at least eight people and wounded several others in the troubled northwestern Pakistan.

Regional security officials say both incidents happened in the North Waziristan Agency on Wednesday.

In the latest attack, an unmanned US plane fired a missile at a vehicle, killing three people.

In an earlier attack, a drone fired two missiles at a house killing five people.

The death toll is expected to rise as some of those injured are reportedly in critical condition.

The unsanctioned attacks by US unmanned planes have increased since President Barack Obama took office in 2009.

Washington claims its drones target Pakistani militants who cross the border into Afghanistan to help the Taliban militancy against US-led foreign forces there.

However, official figures show many of those killed in such airstrikes are civilians.

Islamabad has repeatedly condemned the US air attacks, calling for an end to them.

JR/AKM/MMN

11 Taliban fighters killed in Orakzai, Mohmand

The Daily Times, Wednesday, October 27, 2010

PARACHINAR:

Six Taliban fighers (referred to by The Daily Times as terrorists) and a soldier have been killed in a gunbattle in lower Orakzai while five more militants were killed when security forces shelled their positions in Kareer area of tehsil Saafi in Mohmand agency, government officials said. Aurangzeb Khan, a local administrator says the fighting in Orakzai tribal region began after insurgents attacked troops stationed there on Tuesday.

Security forces have been targeting militants in Orakzai since March when Pakistan dispatched troops there to kill or capture insurgents belonging to or allied with the Taliban and al Qaida. A soldier was killed as the armed militants attacked security forces, and in retaliation firing, the forces gunned down six Taliban. A key Taliban commander was arrested, besides five other suspected persons. Five terrorists were also killed during a successful raid by the security forces in Mohmand Agency, officials said. agencies.