(Previous Incident Code: Ob163 )

Up to nine people, most likely militants but possibly counting civilians, were killed as the US launched two to four missiles at a house reputedly belonging to Abdur Rehman along with a car, in Khaddi, north Waziristan, local and international news reported.

While initial reports put the death toll at five or six people, AP put the final death toll at nine a few days later, claiming that all nine were militants.

At least three militants were reportedly among the fatalities; a militant leader named ‘Mustafa’, linked to a group led by Sadiq Noor and two “foreigners.”

However, some reports did not specify the status of the killed, merely referring to them as “local tribesmen” or “people” thus suggesting some being civilians, potentially spanning from zero to five fatalities.

For example, officials told AP, cited by Long War Journal, that “three of those killed were militants while the rest were locals harboring them.” Also, local officials could only confirm two militants among the dead bodies as all were burned beyond recognition.

However, according to Dawn, officials said the following day that there were no civilians killed, “asserting that seven of the dead were under Sadiq Noor`s command and two were foreign fighters.”

Sources agreed that a US drone was behind the strike.