13 militants killed in fresh drone attack in South Waziristan

Thirteen militants were killed in a US drone attack that targeted a militant hideout in Pakistan Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud's stronghold in the volatile South Waziristan today.
     
The drone struck Ladha, an area in South Waziristan Agency considered one of the main strongholds of Mehsud, who heads the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan.
     
The drone fired two missiles that destroyed a militant hideout, TV news channels reported. The Taliban surrounded the area and prevented people from approaching the hideout.

The Pakistan Army is preparing for a major offensive against Mehsud and his network in South Waziristan after winding up its operations against militants in the northwestern Swat valley.

The Pakistan government has opposed drone attacks in the country's tribal belt, describing them as counter-productive for the war against terror, but observers believe Islamabad and Washington have a tacit understanding on the strikes.