US Drones Return: Pak Cries Foul

US Drones, on Sunday struck hard in Pakistan's Waziristan region in the north-west frontier province (NWFP). A missile attack by a US drone aircraft killed 15 people in north-west Pakistan, officials in Pakistan say. Four missiles hit a dwelling housing terrorists in Shaktoi, South Waziristan, near the Afghan border. Though, a report says that those killed were all militants, unofficial claims allege the killing of innocent civilians.

The US has escalated drone attacks in the region after a suicide bomber killed seven CIA agents last month. Last week an attack in the same region targeted Pakistani Taliban leader Hakimullah Mehsud, but the Taliban say he survived. A Taliban spokesman confirmed Mehsud had been in the area, but confirmed his being alive. "He had left the place already when the drone attack took place. He is alive and completely safe," said Azam Tariq. Hakimullah has led the Pakistani Taliban since former leader Baitullah Mehsud was killed in a drone attack last summer.

Pakistan, meanwhile, has decided to show concerns about the blatant violation of its air-space. This latest attack follows a warning by the Pakistan government that continuing American drone strikes on its territory will damage relations between the two allies in the war on terror. Pakistan has officially objected to the strikes against suspected al Qaeda and Taliban militants along its border, saying such attacks violate its sovereignty. The attacks have caused violent anti-American protests in Pakistan, a key ally of the US in its war on terror.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said after meeting U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke that some very clear "red lines" were discussed. "I said despite the partnership that we enjoy, Pakistan cannot, and Pakistan feels that it will undermine our relationship, if there's expansion of drones and if there are operations on ground," he told a news conference.

Meanwhile, the US seems to have ignored Pak's grumbling and the drones continue to appear on Pakistani radars. There have been two incidents of drone missile strike, almost immediately after the warning issued by Pakistani officials. Even as a two pronged attack continues to hurt Taliban, it is also gaining strength and support, which can be proved from the recent CIA agents' killings.