It seemed the first US drone strike in South Waziristan since January 2015 had killed at least seven people. However it transpired eight or nine civilians were killed in a Pakistan Air Force strike. This emerged thanks to further investigation by Reuters, Dawn and Radio Mashaal, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s Pakistani partner organisation.

According to Dawn, local residents said the house of a suspected militant Abdul Manan Mehsud was attacked “in which three women, four girls and two boys were killed”.

The strike was reportedly by jets. It targeted a house and left eight civilians dead, including three children. Naimat Ullah told Reuters: “The house next to my house was completely destroyed.” His son was injured by flying shrapnel. Neighbours excavated the bodies and told Ullah that three young girls, three men and two women were killed in the strike, he added. A relative of Abdul Manan Khan – the owner of the destroyed house – confirmed the civilian casualties.

Radio Mashaal, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s Pakistan partner, reported a bomb attack by Pakistan Air Force jets and helicopters left eight civilians dead and one boy was injured. This was according to anonymous officials and a relative of a survivor.

The strike hit shortly after at least 42 people were killed in a Taliban attack on a Pakistan Air Force base in Peshawar. Thirteen Taliban fighters were killed by security forces in the battle. Sixteen people praying in a mosque were killed in the assault.