Suspected US drones fired missiles into Pakistan's Kurram region today killing at least 11 militants, local officials said, in the first strike in the lawless tribal region in a recently stepped up campaign by unmanned American aircraft.
The US forces have intensified missile strikes by remotely-controlled drones in Pakistan's border regions since the killing of Osama bin Laden by US SEALs in the country last month.
At least 73 militants have been killed in missile strikes by US drones this month, according to a Reuters tally based on statements from intelligence officials.
Most of these strikes focused on Waziristan - a major al-Qaeda and Taliban sanctuary - but today's attack targeted militants in Kurram, another tribal region north of Waziristan.
"Four missiles were fired by drones and seven militants were killed," an intelligence official in the region said.
Another intelligence official said the missiles targeted two militant compounds and a vehicle in the Khardand area, a stronghold of Fazal Saeed, a local militant commander.
Saeed is closely linked to the Haqqani network - one the most feared Afghan militant groups fighting US forces across the border in Afghanistan, officials say.