U.S. drone strike in Pakistan kills suspected militantsJuly 14, 2013 - 12:50 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - At least two suspected foreign militants were killed in a U.S. drone strike in Pakistan's volatile border region of North Waziristan, local officials said on Sunday, July 14, according to Reuters. Drones armed with missiles have inflicted the most damage against Taliban fighters in Pakistan's lawless tribal areas straddling the Afghan border over the past seven years, sometimes with heavy civilian casualties. In the third drone attack since Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif took office last month, two people riding a motorcycle were struck by missiles in the Mir Ali area of North Waziristan on Saturday night, one official said. "The two men, probably Arab nationals, were passing through Mosaki village when the drone fired two missiles and hit them," said the official. Their identities were not immediately known. The official in Mir Ali said they were Arabs, but another security source in the region told Reuters they were foreign militants of Turkmen origin. U.S. drone attacks began in Pakistan in 2004. It has been difficult to check their impact on both militants and civilians because independent observers and journalists have almost no access to the areas where most of the strikes occur. Pakistani Taliban fighters, who operate as a separate entity but are allied with their Afghan counterparts, often seal off the sites of drone strikes immediately. Pakistan's government has denounced the attacks as a violation of its sovereignty. U.S. President Barack Obama has promised to scale them back, resorting to them only when a threat was "continuing and imminent". Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Titus, Bilirakis lead legislation to sanction Azerbaijani war criminals Representatives Dina Titus (D-NV) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) have introduced the bipartisan legislation. Armenia: Defense Ministry warns against involving army in political processes The Ministry’s statement came after a video surfaced online, showing soldiers joining the protests in Tavush. Scholz hopes Armenia-Azerbaijan peace treaty will be signed this year German Chancellor Olaf Scholz hopes that a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan will be signed this year. Ucom equips four bus stops in Ijevan with free Wi-Fi Ucom now provides free Wi-Fi coverage in smart bus stops in four communities of Ijevan. |