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Suspected US Drone Strikes Kill 25 in NW Pakistan


Pakistani protesters belonging to United Citizen Action shout anti-US slogans during a protest in Multan against the US drone attacks in Pakistani tribal areas, April 22, 2011
Pakistani protesters belonging to United Citizen Action shout anti-US slogans during a protest in Multan against the US drone attacks in Pakistani tribal areas, April 22, 2011

Pakistani officicals say suspected U.S. drones fired at least five missiles at a house in a tribal region near the Afghan border, killing 25 people.

Authorities say the attack Friday targeted a house believed to be a militant hideout in northwest Pakistan, about 35 kilometers from Miranshah, the main town in the North Waziristan tribal region.

At least two women and three children are believed to be among the casualties, but there was no way to independently confirm the report.

Officials believe many Afghan Taliban and al-Qaida members live in the area and use it to stage attacks inside Afghanistan.

On Thursday, the head of Pakistan's army, General Ashfaq Kayani, repeated Islamabad's objections to drone missile strikes against suspected militant targets in Pakistan, saying they undermine Pakistan's own efforts and are unpopular with its people.

U.S. officials do not acknowledge the missile strikes from unmanned aircraft in Pakistan.

Kayani also rejected U.S. suggestions that Islamabad is not doing enough in the war on terrorism.

Admiral Mike Mullen, the top U.S. military official, visited Islamabad this week and accused members of Pakistan's intelligence agency of having ties with insurgents in the northwest tribal belt.

Separately, a militant attack on a checkpoint in the northwest killed at least 14 security troops. The attack occurred in the Kharkai area of Lower Dir.

Some information for this report was provided by AP.

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