DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Pakistan, March 8 (AP) — Two missiles fired from a US drone hit a militant facility in neighbouring Afghanistan, killing 21 insurgents, including the son of the head of the Pakistani Taliban, two Pakistani intelligence officials and local Taliban commanders said on Thursday. The strike, which according to the officials took place on Wednesday, targeted a compound frequented by Mullah Fazlullah, the leader of the Pakistani Taliban who is believed to be hiding in Afghanistan. The intelligence officials said that Fazlullah was apparently not there, but his son was killed in the strike in Afghanistan's Kunar province, miles away from Pakistani border. Three Pakistani Taliban commanders also confirmed the strike and militant casualties. Pakistani officials and the Taliban commanders spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to speak to the media. The United States made no comment on the strike. There was also no immediate comment from NATO, Afghan authorities or the Pakistani government. It was unclear whether the bodies of those killed in Wednesday's drone strike would be brought to Pakistan for burial. Islamabad has for years asked Washington and Kabul to take action against Fazlullah and other Pakistani Taliban, who are believed to be hiding in neighbouring Afghanistan and who cross the porous Afghan-Pakistan border to launch attacks inside Pakistan. Kabul, for its part, has long complained that Islamabad is not taking enough action against militants who use Pakistani soil to launch attacks against US, NATO and Afghan forces in Afghanistan.
