At least ten, perhaps more, people were killed in the South Waziristan region of Pakistan by a suspected U.S. drone missile strike, according to Dawn, an English language Pakistani daily newspaper.

Reportedly, two missiles struck a compound belonging to Mullah Maulvi Nazir, a powerful militant group that has been launching attacks of Western troops across the lawless border in Afghanistan, in the town of Wana.

A witness told Reuters: “there was a huge blast and we can see smoke rising from the compound.”

The United States military, which does not confirm nor even acknowledge drone missile attacks, has been increasing its offensive against militants who have long resided in the remote, mountainous border between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

It is believed that both al-Qaeda and Taliban militants are living and operating in North Waziristan, many driven there from the southern part of the province after the Pakistani army launched a major offensive against them in 2009.

Still, other terrorist groups remain holed up in South Waziristan. Other reports indicate that because of the attacks in North Waziristan, some Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters have returned to the south.

Al-Qaeda Pakistan Afghanistan Pakistan