Four killed in North Waziristan drone strike

SHAWAL: At least four people were killed and six injured in a US drone strike in the Shawal area of North Waziristan on Monday.

According sources, a drone fired two missiles at a house in Shahi Khel area of Shawal.

"Through our local sources and intercepts, (we know) a drone fired two missiles at a compound in the Shawal area and killed four militants. The number of dead may go up," an intelligence official told Reuters.

According to sources, drones continued to hover over the area following the strike.

The Pakistan Army launched a major offensive in the area in June.

The latest strikes came after Pakistan ramped up its anti-terror strategy in the wake of a December 16 assault on an Army Public School in Peshawar which left over 130 children dead.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has announced the establishment of military courts for terrorism-related cases in order to accelerate trials. The prime minister also lifted a six-year moratorium on the death penalty, reinstating it for terrorism-related cases.