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At least 22 militants have been killed in suspected US drone strikes in restive North Waziristan's Miranshah town during a 24-hour blitzkrieg. According to reports, unmanned US Predator drones were used to carry out four attacks in a tribal district, which is a renowned hub for Taliban and Al-Qaeda-linked militants. Two intelligence officials confirmed that four militants where killed in the latest attack. "Two US drones fired three missiles. We have reports that four militants were killed," The Dawn quoted a security official, as saying. At least six militants were killed and several others were injured in one of the attacks in Dande Darbakhel. There have been more than 200 strikes, which have killed over 900 people, mostly civilians, in the troubled northwest tribal areas of Pakistan since 2008. Recently, a report by a top UN official had criticized the Obama administration for continuing the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) operated drone attacks in the semi-autonomous tribal areas of Pakistan, as it has resulted in countless civilian deaths. UN's special rapporteur on extra judicial, summary or arbitrary executions Phillip Alston, in his report, argued that drone strikes amount to a "license to kill" without being held accountable, a license the U.S. would not want any other country to have. While the Obama administration is yet to publicly accept responsibility for the drone hits, the CIA maintains that the attacks carried out by the unmanned aircraft are in fact overseen by the White House and Congress, and refuted reports that the agency lacked accountability.

22 militants killed in 24-hr US drone strike blitzkrieg in North Waziristan