13 die in drone strike in Pakistan

At least 13 people, including six foreigners, were killed Wednesday in a US drone attack in northwest Pakistan, a media report said.

The US drone fired three missiles at a militants' hideout in Darand Shekhan area of upper Orakzai agency, a militancy-hit tribal area where Pakistan army has been battling local and foreign Taliban militants for the past four months, Xinhua reported citing a TV report.

The media report said six foreigners were among the dead.
In a separate attack early Wednesday, Pakistan army killed 13 militants and destroyed five hideouts in the same area. Some media reports said that this operation was carried out by a combination of Pakistani jets and US drones.

On Tuesday, 10 soldiers were killed and 32 injured in a check post attack by militants in neighbouring Kurram Agency.

Wednesday morning's drone strike came just a day after Foreign Office spokesperson Abdul Basit stated that drone attacks were unacceptable to the Pakistani government.

This is the fourth strike of its kind in northwestern tribal area of Pakistan and the first of its kind in Orakzai agency since the beginning of 2012.