Accessibility links

Breaking News

U.S. Drone Kills Two On Motorbike In Pakistan, Officials Say


Supporters of the Jamaat-ud-Dawa Islamic organization attend an anti-U.S. protest against a drone strike in Islamabad in May 2016.
Supporters of the Jamaat-ud-Dawa Islamic organization attend an anti-U.S. protest against a drone strike in Islamabad in May 2016.

A U.S. drone has killed two men riding a motorbike in Pakistan's northwest tribal region, officials said.

This is the first such attack in Pakistan under the administration of new U.S. President Donald Trump.

The attack occurred in the Sara Khwa area of the Kurram tribal district that lies along the border with Afghanistan.

A security source told RFE/RL that the two were suspected militants, identified as Qari Abdullah and Qari Shakir. It is not clear which militant group they belonged to.

A second unnamed official confirmed the strike and the casualties.

"The drone came from Afghanistan and returned after firing two missiles on the motorbike," he said.

The previous U.S. drone attack took place in May 2016, killing the leader of the Afghan Taliban Mullah Akhtar Mansur in southwestern Balochistan Province.

Drone strikes are extremely unpopular among many Pakistanis because they are seen as a violation of the country's sovereignty.

However, leaked documents have shown that Pakistan and the United States have secretly colluded over some cases in the past.

With reporting by AP

XS
SM
MD
LG