US drone 'kills five in Pakistan'

[David Guyatt]

Klingonian cloaked craft strike again:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7975871.stm

Many killed in 'US drone attack'



A missile fired by a suspected US drone has killed at least 10 people in Pakistan, close to the Afghan border, eyewitnesses say.

The missile hit a house in Orakzai tribal area. Residents and local journalists said the house had been converted into a Taleban camp.

The Taleban have cordoned off the entire area, they said.

Last week, US President Barack Obama said his government would consult Pakistan on drone attacks.

Pakistan has been critical of such strikes. It says civilians are often killed, fuelling support for militants.

On Tuesday, the leader of Pakistan's Taleban Baitullah Mehsud claimed responsibility for Monday's deadly attack on a police academy in Lahore saying it was in retaliation against US drone attacks.

He said the attacks would continue "until the Pakistan government stops supporting the Americans".

Correspondents say that more than 35 US drone strikes have killed more than 340 people in Pakistan since August 2008, shortly before the election of President Asif Ali Zardari.

The US military routinely does not confirm drone attacks but the armed forces and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) operating in Afghanistan are believed to be the only forces capable of deploying drones in the region.