(Previous Incident Code: Ob93 )

The US allegedly carried out its first drone strike in Tirah Valley, Khyber Agency, local and international media reported, with one source claiming that two civilians were among the up to 15 killed like the 15 injured possibly also counted civilians.

A house and two trucks “loaded with militants” were attacked in the first known fatal strike in the Khyber Agency. Some reports placed the death toll as low as five, though others reported 15 killed, including local TTP commander Gul Saeed. 

As the only source, The News, who cited tribal sources, reported about civilian harm:

“Assistant Political Agent of Landikotal subdivision Azam Jan confirmed the attack and said 15 people had been killed and another 15 were injured in the attack,” adding that “the first drone attack was carried out at 8:25pm and was followed by three other strikes in which 15 people, including 13 militants belonging to the Swat chapter of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and two civilians were killed and five others sustained injuries.”

While most reports and eye witnesses said that the incident was the work of a US drone, local officials gave conflicting causes explanations for the deaths. Some blamed a bomb explosion, others to a clash between rival militant factions, while the local administration claimed that the militants were killed in strikes by Pakistani fighter planes.