ianstone
10-04-2010, 03:09 PM
4 October 2010 Last updated at 19:33
From BBC News South Asia
'German militants' killed in Pakistan drone attack
http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/49362000/jpg/_49362197_49362196.jpg US drone attacks have increased during the past month
At least eight al-Qaeda militants - some of whom were German nationals - have been killed in a drone attack in Pakistan, officials have told the BBC.
The suspected US drone fired two missiles at a house owned by a local tribesman in the Pakistani region of North Waziristan, the officials said.
At least three of the dead were said to be German, of Arab or Turkish origin.
There have been 26 such strikes in the area in the past month, killing several high-profile militants.
Analysts have linked the increasing frequency of US drone attacks with current reports of an alleged al-Qaeda plot to attack European cities.
Several countries have issued travel warnings to their citizens, and US intelligence sources have linked the plot to militants in Pakistan.
Local chief
The house hit in the latest attack was located in a village 3km (1.9 miles) from the main town of Mir Ali.
Local officials say the militants had come to visit tribal leader Sher Mullah, who has close links to Hafiz Gul Bahadur, the local Taliban chief.
The BBC's Syed Shoaib Hasan, in Karachi, says local people use the word Arab to describe anyone from the Middle East or even as far west as Turkey.
More than 150 people have died in drone attacks so far this year, including both militants and civilians.
Al-Qaeda's operations chief is believed to have been one of those killed in recent drone strikes.
Our correspondent says that the attacks have infuriated public opinion in Pakistan, which last week was further aggravated by border violations by Nato helicopters from Afghanistan.
Pakistan's government has subsequently clamped down on the supply of goods and fuel from Pakistan to Nato troops based in Afghanistan.
From BBC News South Asia
'German militants' killed in Pakistan drone attack
http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/49362000/jpg/_49362197_49362196.jpg US drone attacks have increased during the past month
At least eight al-Qaeda militants - some of whom were German nationals - have been killed in a drone attack in Pakistan, officials have told the BBC.
The suspected US drone fired two missiles at a house owned by a local tribesman in the Pakistani region of North Waziristan, the officials said.
At least three of the dead were said to be German, of Arab or Turkish origin.
There have been 26 such strikes in the area in the past month, killing several high-profile militants.
Analysts have linked the increasing frequency of US drone attacks with current reports of an alleged al-Qaeda plot to attack European cities.
Several countries have issued travel warnings to their citizens, and US intelligence sources have linked the plot to militants in Pakistan.
Local chief
The house hit in the latest attack was located in a village 3km (1.9 miles) from the main town of Mir Ali.
Local officials say the militants had come to visit tribal leader Sher Mullah, who has close links to Hafiz Gul Bahadur, the local Taliban chief.
The BBC's Syed Shoaib Hasan, in Karachi, says local people use the word Arab to describe anyone from the Middle East or even as far west as Turkey.
More than 150 people have died in drone attacks so far this year, including both militants and civilians.
Al-Qaeda's operations chief is believed to have been one of those killed in recent drone strikes.
Our correspondent says that the attacks have infuriated public opinion in Pakistan, which last week was further aggravated by border violations by Nato helicopters from Afghanistan.
Pakistan's government has subsequently clamped down on the supply of goods and fuel from Pakistan to Nato troops based in Afghanistan.