US drone strike leaves 11 dead

PESHAWAR (AP):

A United States drone fired several missiles at a sprawling compound in Pakistan's north western tribal region bordering Afghanistan yesterday, killing 11 militants, two Pakistani intelligence officials said.

The officials said the strike happened in Datta Khel, a town in North Waziristan, where the Pakistani military has been carrying out a major offensive against militants since last month. They said most of the slain men were members of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, an umbrella group encompassing militant organisations across the tribal areas.

Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan has called for overthrowing the Pakistani government in order to implement its hard-line version of Islamic law, and ending cooperation with the Americans in Afghanistan.