At least eight suspected militants have been killed in two U.S. drone strikes on compounds in northwestern Pakistan.
Security officials said the attacks hours apart in Shawal and Datta Khel areas of the North Waziristan tribal region close to the Afghan border.
Some 10 suspected militants were killed in similar strikes in the same area on October 5-6.
The Pakistani military launched an offensive in June aimed at clearing North Waziristan of the Pakistani Taliban and other insurgent groups, using air strikes, artillery, mortars, and ground troops.
It says it has killed more than 1,000 militants and lost some 100 soldiers in the operation, but the numbers cannot be independently verified.
However, Islamabad routinely protests against U.S. drone strikes, saying they violate its sovereignty and are counterproductive in the fight against terrorism.
Based on reporting by AFP, AP, and dawn.com