Suspected US Missile Kills 10 in Pakistan(2nd in 24 Hours)

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Source: AP

ISLAMABAD – A suspected U.S. drone fired a barrage of missiles into a Taliban training camp Wednesday, killing 10 insurgents in the second such strike in the South Waziristan tribal region in 24 hours, intelligence officials said.

South Waziristan lies close to the Afghan border and is the stronghold of Pakistani Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud.

Pakistan's military is also bombing and firing mortars at militant targets in the region, saying it is softening up Mehsud's fighters before launching a ground offensive there to eliminate him.

Mehsud is blamed for most of the bloodiest terrorist attacks in nuclear-armed Pakistan in recent years.

The suspected U.S. drone fired six missiles at the mountaintop training camp in the Karwan Manza area of South Waziristan before dawn Wednesday, the officials said on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to media. The nationality and the identity of the slain men were not immediately known.

Independent verification of the casualties and the target was not possible because the region is remote and dangerous.

Pakistani and U.S. officials do not give public comment on the strikes.

The attack occurred around 10 miles (15 kilometers) from the scene of Tuesday's strike, which killed 12 militants, including five foreigners, according to intelligence officials.

There have been at least five suspected American missile attacks in South Waziristan over the last two weeks, an uptick that suggests Washington is also trying to kill or weaken Mehsud and his followers in the run-up to the Pakistani campaign.

Despite the apparent convergence of interests, Pakistan's army insists it is not coordinating with the U.S. It says the American missile attacks are hurting its attempts to kill or capture Mehsud because they alienate local tribesman they are trying to enlist in their campaign against him.

more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090708/ap_on_re_as/as_pakistan