PESHAWAR, Oct. 09 (DNA): At least four people were killed and several others injured in a U.S. drone strike in North Waziristan on Thursday morning, security officials said.

The U.S. pilotless aircraft fired two missiles at a compound located in Datta Khel area of North Waziristan.

Drones hovered over the area before and after the strike, creating panic among the residents which include a large number of women and kids.

Thursday’s drone strike is the fifth over the last five days and the 14 this year. At least 100 people have reportedly been killed in strikes this year.

The attack came at a time when Pakistani army is launching a major military offensive in the North Waziristan region which is believed to be a sanctuary of local, Afghan and Uzbek militants.

The operation, “Zarb-e-Azb,” was started on June 15 and has so far claimed lives of over 1,200 militants in air strikes and ground operations by the army.

The operation also resulted in the displacement of over 1 million people from the area, who are taking refuge in camps formed for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in neighboring Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. DNA