'US drone' kills five in Pakistan

'US drone' kills five in Pakistan Map At least five people have been killed in a suspected missile attack by a US drone on a village in north-west Pakistan, local officials say. The officials said missiles hit the village of Baghar in South Waziristan, close to the Afghan border. The missiles are reported to have struck a militant training camp. The incident came as the top US military commander met Pakistani officials to discuss growing tension over US attacks along the border. At least six people were injured in the attack, according to BBC correspondent Dilawar Khan in the neighbouring North West Frontier Province. Four missiles were reportedly fired at the village of Baghar Cheena, about half a kilometre from the Afghan border. Two reportedly hit a house occupied by militants while two landed on the hillside. Baghar Cheena is about 4km (2.5 miles) from Angoor Adda, the village which Pakistani officials say was the scene of a US ground assault earlier this month. Observers say the attack may be an indication that the Americans have told Pakistan there will be no more ground assaults, but that drone attacks are to continue as before. 'Ground violations' US Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff, Adm Michael Mullen in Pakistan (17/09/2008) Adm Mullen said the US respects Pakistan's sovereignty On Wednesday, US Adm Michael Mullen met Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani to discuss US operations along the troubled border with Afghanistan. The men discussed "measures to defuse tension between the two countries, following a spate of air and ground violations along the Pakistan-Afghan border", Pakistani state news agency APP said. The tribal region of South Waziristan is one of the main areas from which Islamist militants launch attacks into Afghanistan. Last week, an unnamed Pentagon official told the BBC that President George Bush had authorised cross-border attacks by US troops based in Afghanistan. There have been a number of missile attacks aimed at militants in Pakistani territory in recent weeks. The BBC's Shoaib Hasan, in Islamabad, says tensions between the two countries remain high after the attacks. The Pakistani army has said that they will not tolerate such incursions and the US has insisted that it respects Pakistan's sovereignty. But the inability of the US to match its diplomatic efforts on the ground means the situation will continue to remain volatile, says our correspondent.