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More killed in another US drone attack in Pakistan

September 8, 2008: Pakistan's The International News (Jang) reports that more than 20 people were killed and several injured during missile attack by US drones near Miranshah in North Waziristan today. The report said:
"Sources said that US drones fired ten guided missiles at a house and madarssah of son of Afghan commander Jalaluddin Haqqani in Danday Darpakhel area near Miranshah.
"More than 20 people have been killed and dozens injured reportedly in the attack. Women and children are also included among the killed and injured.
"The injured have been shifted to Miranshah headquarter hospital and other nearby hospitals."
Pakistan's Dawn newspaper reported that 23 people, including three Arab and two Azerbaijani nationals, were killed in the US drone attack.
According to its report, Maulvi Jalaluddin’s eight grandchildren, wife, sister, sister-in-law and other relatives were killed. Fourteen other people were injured.
The report added that this was the seventh violation of Pakistan’s territory by US forces over the past 10 days, attacks which have killed at least 61 people.
According to locals, seven missiles hit the spacious compound in quick succession. The compound, located about 2kms north of Miramshah, housed members of the Haqqani family.
Two spy planes were flying over the area at the time of the explosions and local people believed the missiles had been fired by the drones.
Dawn's sources said that the family home, a guesthouse and a seminary were destroyed. The explosions rocked the area and windowpanes of nearby houses were damaged. Witnesses said the death toll could rise because search for bodies was under way till the evening.
The International Herald Tribune reported that in the 1980s, Jalaluddin Haqqani was cultivated as a "unilateral" asset of the CIA and received tens of thousands of dollars in cash for his work in fighting the Soviet Army in Afghanistan, according to an account in The Bin Ladens, a recent book by Steve Coll. At that time, Haqqani helped and protected Osama bin Laden, who was building his own militia to fight the Soviet forces in Afghanistan.
Source: Jang, Dawn, IHT

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