As many as seven fighters linked to the Taliban in Pakistan were killed Friday by a suspected U.S. drone aircraft strike, according to reports. Pakistani security officials told Al Jazeera that all of those killed were “militants.” The attack hit a stronghold for the Haqqani network, which targets American forces in Afghanistan from its hideout in the North Waziristan mountains. Among the dead, Reuters reported, was Zubir al Muzi, an al Qaeda commander and explosives expert. Local residents have been angered by reports of civilian casualties caused by past strikes, and Pakistani officials condemned the missile strikes as a violation of their sovereignty, The New York Times reported.
[Reuters]