Pakistani tribal leaders announce three-day mourning against killings in U.S. drone strike

Pakistani tribal leaders announce three-day mourning against killings in U.S. drone strike

2011-03-19 05:29:42 GMT+7 (ICT)

MIRANSHAH, PAKISTAN (BNO NEWS) -- Tribal leaders on Friday announced three-day mourning against the killing of 44 civilians of Mehsud tribe in the latest U.S. drone strike in North Waziristan area, northwest Pakistan.

According to Geo television, tribal elder leaders of Tank strongly condemned the attack and demanded the Pakistani government to halt U.S. drone strike attacks in the northern tribal regions.

In addition, Malik Nasrullah, chief of Waziristan, demanded the U.S. government to pay 'blood money' to the relatives of the victims of the attack. On Thursday, 44 people were killed and many injured in the Datta Khel area in North Waziristan.

The U.S. unmanned aircraft launched six missile strikes targeting Taliban fighters. Some reports indicated the air strikes hit and destroyed what is believed to be a militant training center, while other reports said a residential area was hit where local elders were meeting.

Chief Nasrullah said that initially, 41 people were killed and three more died later due to the severe wounds sustained. Eight people are reported to be in critical condition in a local hospital.

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-Qaida and the Taliban in the border area with Afghanistan, which the United States considers to be the most dangerous place on Earth. As of Monday, U.S. drone strikes in the region have killed at least 80 people this year, many whom are believed to have been militants.

But controversy has surrounded the drone strikes as local residents and officials have blamed them for killing innocent civilians and motivating young men to join the Taliban.

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