US missile attack kills near 15 militants including key commander

ISLAMABAD, Sept 9 (KUNA) -- As many as 15 militants including a key commander were killed in Tuesday nights US missile strike in a Pakistani tribal agency, said sources on Wednesday. At least two missiles were fired by a pilotless US aircraft at a militant training camp in Tabi Saidgai area of North Waziristan tribal agency Tuesday night. According to security sources at least twenty militants were present in the camp at the time of missile strike. They told KUNA that the attack killed more than fifteen militants including Maulvi Khushhal, a key Taliban commander wanted by the Pakistan Army. There were conflicting reports regarding the identity of the commander killed in the attack. A local Dawn newspaper identified him as Maulvi Talib Shah. Sources also said that all the militants hailed from Lakki Marwat district of North-West Frontier Province (NWFP). They said at least five wounded militants were still in critical condition.
This was the second US missile strike in the agency in last 24 hours. Five people were killed in a similar attack in Machikhel area of Mir Ali tehsil on Monday night. (end) amn.aj KUNA 091000 Sep 09NNNN