MIRANSHAH, Pakistan – A U.S. drone strike Wednesday in Pakistan killed up to 21 Afghan fighters from the Al Qaeda-linked Haqqani network, considered the top U.S. foe in eastern Afghanistan.
Pakistani officials said a US drone fired two missiles, destroying a vehicle and a compound in North Waziristan, the headquarters of the Haqqani leadership and the most infamous militant bastion in the tribal belt.
"More dead bodies have been dug out of the debris. Twenty-one militants from the Haqqani group were killed and three were injured," a Pakistani security official said.
Another official said the men gathered in a compound used by fighters. "All those killed were Haqqani's men and Afghans, but we have reports that some Arabs and Uzbeks were also present at the time of attack and were killed," he said.
The U.S. does not publicly confirm Predator drone attacks.