32 militants killed in 4 US drone attacks

US drones killed five militants in a strike in the volatile North Waziristan tribal region of northwest Pakistan today, taking the taking the number of rebels killed in four consecutive attacks since yesterday to 32.

The unmanned spy planes fired at least three missiles at a house in Khar Qamar area of Miranshah, the main town of North Waziristan Agency, this evening.

Official sources said at least five militants were killed and several others, including women and children, were injured.

Sources close to the local political administration said most of those killed in the four attacks since yesterday were foreign fighters from central Asia, including Uzbeks.

A dozen militants were killed when 10 to 12 drones carried out pre-dawn attacks in Dargah Mandi and Danday Darpa Khel near Miranshah.

The spy planes fired at least a dozen missiles at two militant compounds.

Local residents pulled 12 bodies out of the rubble of houses that were destroyed.

Five others were injured in the attacks. The drones struck twice in North Waziristan yesterday, killing 15 militants in areas dominated by the Haqqani and Hafiz Gul Bahadur groups that often target US troops across the border in Afghanistan.

The latest missile strike coincided with Afghan President Hamid Karzai's visit to Pakistan for crucial talks to bring stability to the region.

US special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Halbrook too is on a visit to flood-hit areas of Pakistan.

The US has carried out 13 drone strikes in Waziristan this month, killing over 70 militants in the region described by Washington as the global headquarters of al-Qaeda.

US media reports said most of this month's strikes have targeted the forces of Jalauddin Haqqani, a former anti-Soviet commander now aligned with Taliban and al-Qaeda, and his son Sirajuddin.

The reports said that American special forces were carrying out large-scale raids on the Haqqani group in Khost, Paktia, Pakiktita and Gardez provinces bordering Pakistan's Waziristan province.

US and NATO commanders believed that some of the top-commanders of the Haqqani group are fleeing the battlefield and trying to move to safe hideouts in Pakistan tribal area.

"So, we are mounting pressure on them in Waziristan also to create a hammer-and-anvil effect," US media reports said.