<p>A US drone targeted a compound in the restive North Waziristan tribal region today, killing 21 suspected militants in the first such attack since Pakistan reopened NATO supply routes to neighbouring Afghanistan.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The CIA-operated spy plane fired two missiles at the compound in Datta Khel area near the Afghan border.<br /><br />TV news channels quoted their sources as saying that 21 people were killed. Foreign fighters were among the dead.<br /><br />The strike destroyed the compound, witnesses said.<br /><br />Datta Khel is considered a stronghold of Hafiz Gul Bahadur, the commander of a Taliban faction accused of sending fighters across the border to fight foreign troops in Afghanistan.<br /><br />This was the first US drone strike since Pakistan restored supply lines for NATO troops in Afghanistan on Tuesday.<br /><br />It was also the second drone strike in North Waziristan Agency in a week.<br />A US drone killed eight persons in Shawal area on July 1.<br /><br />Today's strike came days after Pakistani leaders said talks were continuing with the US on ending the drone campaign following the reopening of NATO supply routes.<br /><br />The Foreign Office said yesterday that the US drone attacks were counter-productive and a violation of Pakistan's sovereignty.<br /><br />The US has rejected calls from Pakistan to stop the drone strikes, insisting that the spy planes are effective in eliminating al-Qaeda and Taliban elements hiding in the tribal belt.</p>
<p>A US drone targeted a compound in the restive North Waziristan tribal region today, killing 21 suspected militants in the first such attack since Pakistan reopened NATO supply routes to neighbouring Afghanistan.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The CIA-operated spy plane fired two missiles at the compound in Datta Khel area near the Afghan border.<br /><br />TV news channels quoted their sources as saying that 21 people were killed. Foreign fighters were among the dead.<br /><br />The strike destroyed the compound, witnesses said.<br /><br />Datta Khel is considered a stronghold of Hafiz Gul Bahadur, the commander of a Taliban faction accused of sending fighters across the border to fight foreign troops in Afghanistan.<br /><br />This was the first US drone strike since Pakistan restored supply lines for NATO troops in Afghanistan on Tuesday.<br /><br />It was also the second drone strike in North Waziristan Agency in a week.<br />A US drone killed eight persons in Shawal area on July 1.<br /><br />Today's strike came days after Pakistani leaders said talks were continuing with the US on ending the drone campaign following the reopening of NATO supply routes.<br /><br />The Foreign Office said yesterday that the US drone attacks were counter-productive and a violation of Pakistan's sovereignty.<br /><br />The US has rejected calls from Pakistan to stop the drone strikes, insisting that the spy planes are effective in eliminating al-Qaeda and Taliban elements hiding in the tribal belt.</p>