Mortar shells kill seven in Pakistan's North Waziristan

Mortar shells kill seven in Pakistan's North Waziristan

2011-01-14 09:25:26 GMT+7 (ICT)

MIRANSHAH, PAKISTAN (BNO NEWS) -- Mortar shells fired from Afghanistan killed at least seven people in Pakistan's North Waziristan on Thursday, Ary News television reported, but it was not immediately clear who has fired them.

Reports said that the mortar shells struck the Tepi Madakhel village, a tribal area, bordering Afghanistan near Miranshah, in North Waziristan district. In the incident, at least 13 other people were injured.

Among the seven fatalities were women and children. The wounded were transported to the district hospital of Tehsil Mir Ali where authorities said that the death toll might increase as some people sustained severe injuries.

Although Pakistani officials said the shells were fired from Afghanistan, it was not immediately clear who had fired them. NATO and Afghan troops frequently carry out combat operations near the Pakistani border.

On Wednesday, a U.S. missile attack killed at least three militants in North Waziristan. The missiles targeted a compound in Haiderkhel village, about 25 kilometers (15 miles) east of Miranshah.

The United States is most active in the North Waziristan area as the region is known to be a stronghold of the Haqqani Network, which is considered one of the top terrorist organizations and threats to U.S. forces in Afghanistan.

The U.S. drone campaign in Pakistan is aimed at disrupting al-Qaeda and the Taliban in the border area with Afghanistan, which the United States considers to be the most dangerous place on Earth.

So far this year, the United States has carried out at least six drone attacks inside Pakistani territory. In 2010, officials reported at least 122 U.S. drone attacks, which was more than double than registered in 2009.

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