MIRAMSHAH, Sept 9 Six Uzbek militants were killed and five injured when a US drone fired missiles into a compound in Machus Camp area of North Waziristan on Thursday. Local people said the drone fired two missiles at the compound in a pre-dawn attack. According to sources, the deceased were Uzbeks and the wounded were taken to an unknown place.

This was the fourth drone attack in the area during the past 24 hours. Three attacks on Wednesday claimed lives of 18 people, women and children were among them.

AFP adds “Two US drones fired three missiles. We have reports that six militants were killed,” a security official based in Peshawar said.

Local people in Miramshah said they heard three huge explosions and later the villagers made announcements from local mosques asking for help.

“Militants have dug out six bodies. Five people were critically wounded,” a local resident said.

Intelligence officials said they were trying to find out details about the militants killed in the attack, but they had no reports about the presence of any high-value target in the area.

“An informer told us there were some Afghan Taliban among the dead but we are investigating,” an intelligence official in Miramshah said.

US forces have been waging a drone war against Taliban and Al Qaeda-linked commanders in the northwestern tribal belt.