By IRNA,
Islamabad : Suspected American drone aircraft fired missiles on vehicles in Pakistan’s tribal region on Monday, killing at least 6 people, locals said.
Three vehicles were also destroyed when three missiles were fired in two different places in South Waziristan tribal region, two local tribesmen said on phone from Wana, the center of South Waziristan.
The first strike was carried out at Karikot areas at around 8:35 a.m., killing two persons and injuring one other.
The drone fired missile on vehicle at Azam Warsak area at 9 a.m., killing four people and injuring another, they said.
Locals said that the vehicles came under attacks as the suspected militants started firing at the U.S drones from fitted guns at the vehicles.
Local tribesmen said that two those died in the first attack belonged to Punjab province.
Local Taliban collected bodies of the slain people and made announcements through loudspeakers for their funeral at Rustam Bazar in Wana.
The U.S drones have stepped up missile strikes against targets in North and South Waziristan in the past few months – a sharp increase in such operations against suspected Taliban and al Qaeda militants.
Officials say that the U.S drones have carried out around 40 attacks since August.
The latest strike hit an area controlled by Haji Nazeer, leader of his own faction of Pakistani Taliban.
Meanwhile Pakistani security forces continued offensive against the militants in Swat valley and pounded their positions at a small town of Ningolai, witnesses said. There was no report of any casualty.
Curfew was imposed in the morning and the people were asked to stay indoors before gunship helicopters started shelling.