Twin Drone Strikes in Datta Khel Kills 7

The Datta Khel area of North Waziristan, Pakistan is the territory of Hafiz Gul Bahadur (see my profile for more information).

From GEO Pakistan (September 25, 2010):

MIRANSHAH: A US missile strike targeting a vehicle killed four militants in Pakistan's rugged tribal region, near the Afghan border on Sunday, Geo News reported.

The attack took place in Asar village of Datta Khel town, some 50 kilometres (31 miles) west of Miranshah, the main district of North Waziristan tribal region, also known as a hub for Taliban and Al-Qaeda-linked militants.

and

MIRANSHAH: A second US missile strike targeting a vehicle killed three rebels Sunday in Pakistan's rugged mountainous tribal belt near the Afghan border, Geo News reported.

The attack took place in Asar village, also the site of an earlier drone strike Sunday, some 50 kilometres (31 miles) west of Miranshah, the main town in the North Waziristan tribal district.

The US drone fired four missiles, targeting a vehicle which was going to the site of the first attack for rescue work, killing three militants, sources said.

UPDATE:

The International Security Assistance Force confirmed that it killed a top al Qaeda leader who was targeted in an airstrike over the weekend. A senior al Qaeda IED facilitator and several al Qaeda operatives were also killed in the Sept. 25 airstrike.

Abdallah Umar al Qurayshi, a senior al Qaeda commander "who coordinated the attacks of a group of Arab fighters in Kunar and Nuristan provinces," was killed after being tracked to "a remote compound in the Korengal Valley" in the district of Pech, ISAF stated in a press release.

"The Al Qaeda facilitators and extremists he works with throughout the Middle East directly threaten the safety and security of Afghan government officials and civilians," ISAF continued. "He routinely facilitates the travel of foreign fighters into the region."

Also killed in the "precision air strike" were an al Qaeda "explosives expert" named Abu Atta al Kuwaiti "and several Arabic foreign fighters." The deaths of Qurayshi, al Kuwati, and other al Qaeda and Taliban leaders occurred while they were in a meeting.

"ISAF is working to confirm the exact identities of other high-level insurgent commanders, who were meeting when the strike was conducted," the press release stated.

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