US Drone Strike Kills Seven in North Waziristan

Attack Destroys House, Kills 'Suspects'

US drones attacked a house in the town of Miramshah in North Waziristan overnight, destroying the home and killing seven people inside. Two others were reported wounded in the attack, and are recovering at a nearby hospital.

The identities of the slain are unclear, but they were all termed “suspects” by officials. Some suggested they might be linked to the Tehreek-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP), though this would be unusual as the group is not generally active in North Waziristan.

The attack comes as tribesmen are increasingly petitioning the Zardari government to do something about the constant drone strikes, and as the Tehreek-e Insaf (PTI), an opposition party led by Imran Khan, is organizing a general strike in the region to protest the lack of action against the attacks.

The strikes have become an increasing issue as the Zardari government, though claiming it is opposed to them continues to seek US support and has bragged about its own launching of air strikes across the region.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.