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Air raid 'kills nine in Pakistan' | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
At least nine people have been killed in an airstrike on suspected militant targets in Pakistan's tribal region of South Waziristan, local officials say. | |
Pilotless US drone aircraft are thought to have carried out the attack in which missiles were fired at a house near the town of Wana on the Afghan border. | Pilotless US drone aircraft are thought to have carried out the attack in which missiles were fired at a house near the town of Wana on the Afghan border. |
Local Taliban fighters are reported to be among the dead. The area is a Taliban and al-Qaeda stronghold. | Local Taliban fighters are reported to be among the dead. The area is a Taliban and al-Qaeda stronghold. |
Pakistan says its army is preparing a full-scale assault on the area. | Pakistan says its army is preparing a full-scale assault on the area. |
See a map of the region | See a map of the region |
A local administration official told the BBC he had seen the bodies of nine men who he said were militants at the scene of Thursday's attack in South Waziristan. | |
All the dead are said to be local Taleban fighters loyal to commander Maulvi Nazir. | All the dead are said to be local Taleban fighters loyal to commander Maulvi Nazir. |
Peshawar airport has been closed indefinitely | |
Officials say two missiles were fired at a house in the village of Shah Alam in the Birmal sub-district of Waziristan, 12km (eight miles) west of Wana. | Officials say two missiles were fired at a house in the village of Shah Alam in the Birmal sub-district of Waziristan, 12km (eight miles) west of Wana. |
The village is located in a highly mountainous part of Waziristan close to the Afghan border. | The village is located in a highly mountainous part of Waziristan close to the Afghan border. |
Locals say the missiles struck at 1100 local time and a minor local commander may be among the dead. There is no independent confirmation. | Locals say the missiles struck at 1100 local time and a minor local commander may be among the dead. There is no independent confirmation. |
There are reports that unmanned US drone aircraft had been flying over the area for some time before the explosions were heard. | There are reports that unmanned US drone aircraft had been flying over the area for some time before the explosions were heard. |
US drones have carried out dozens of missile strikes in the Afghanistan-Pakistan border region since last summer. | US drones have carried out dozens of missile strikes in the Afghanistan-Pakistan border region since last summer. |
However, the BBC's Mike Wooldridge in Islamabad says when there were similar reports of a drone strike last weekend the Pakistani authorities eventually said the initial accounts were mistaken. | However, the BBC's Mike Wooldridge in Islamabad says when there were similar reports of a drone strike last weekend the Pakistani authorities eventually said the initial accounts were mistaken. |
Meanwhile Pakistan's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has closed the international airport at the north-western city of Peshawar for an indefinite period. | |
Flights to and from the airport have been suspended since Wednesday following intelligence reports that a local militant group may launch attacks there, officials say. | |
The closure orders were announced on Tuesday night, in the wake of a security build-up on all roads leading to the airport. | |
Passengers reporting at the airport on Wednesday were transferred to Islamabad, the Pakistani capital, to catch their flights from there. | |
Anger | Anger |
Militants use bases on the Pakistani side of the border to launch attacks inside Afghanistan. How many insurgents have been killed in drone operations is a matter of debate. | Militants use bases on the Pakistani side of the border to launch attacks inside Afghanistan. How many insurgents have been killed in drone operations is a matter of debate. |
Profile: Baitullah Mehsud Long war against Taliban | Profile: Baitullah Mehsud Long war against Taliban |
Civilians have also been killed, and the attacks have angered Pakistanis. | Civilians have also been killed, and the attacks have angered Pakistanis. |
Pakistan is also facing a growing Taliban insurgency within its own borders. | Pakistan is also facing a growing Taliban insurgency within its own borders. |
Its troops have been fighting militants in and around the Swat valley, north-west of Islamabad, since early May. | Its troops have been fighting militants in and around the Swat valley, north-west of Islamabad, since early May. |
The army now says it is gearing up for an assault on top Pakistani Taliban commander Baitullah Mehsud, whose network of fighters are blamed for a wave of suicide bombings and other attacks in Pakistan. | The army now says it is gearing up for an assault on top Pakistani Taliban commander Baitullah Mehsud, whose network of fighters are blamed for a wave of suicide bombings and other attacks in Pakistan. |
Baitullah Mehsud is based in the eastern part of South Waziristan, while Maulvi Nazir is in the west, close to the Afghan border. | Baitullah Mehsud is based in the eastern part of South Waziristan, while Maulvi Nazir is in the west, close to the Afghan border. |
Click here to return | Click here to return |
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