Taliban commander, foreign fighters killed in drone attack

A Pakistani Taliban commander and two foreign fighters were among nine militants killed in a US drone attack in the lawless North Waziristan tribal region, officials said today.

The slain commander, identified as Mustafa, was associated with Sadiq Noor's group, and was said to be a key Taliban figure in North Waziristan

The identity of the foreign militants could not immediately be ascertained though Arabs, Chechens and Uzbeks operate in the region.

The nine rebels were killed when a drone fired two missiles at a house in Mirali area of North Waziristan Agency yesterday.

Six militants were killed instantly while three bodies were retrieved later from the rubble of the house, officials said.

North Waziristan is a magnet for jihadis seeking to fight NATO forces in Afghanistan. The area has witnessed the largest concentration of drone strikes this year with 100 missile strikes reported so far, almost double the figure of last year.

US is putting pressure on Pakistan to launch a large scale military operation in the area, but Pakistan government has not acceded to the request, saying that the hands of its forces were already full with campaigns in neighbouring South Waziristan and Swat.

Washington has recently sought to expand the areas of drone strikes to target Taliban and al-Qaeda leadership, but Islamabad refuses to request.