<p>Pakistani pro-government warlord Mullah Nazir and his deputy were among 10 Taliban fighters killed today in fresh wave of US drone strikes in the country's restive Waziristan tribal region.<br /><br />Nazir, his deputy Ratta Khan and four more militants were killed when a CIA-operated spy plane targeted a vehicle in Angoor Adda area of South Waziristan Agency early this morning.<br /><br />Security officials were quoted by the Pakistani media as saying that Nazir was killed in the strike.<br /><br />He was the main militant commander in South Waziristan near the Pak-Afghan border considered to be the base for al-Qaeda, the Taliban and other Islamist foreign militants. Nazir was also a powerful elder of the Waziri tribe and understood to be close to the al-Qaeda-linked Haqqani network.</p>.<p>Nazir had reached a peace deal with the Pakistan military in 2007 under which he had promised not to indulge in militant activities on the Pakistani soil. But the Americans viewed him as anti-US, blaming him for sending his fighters to attack its forces in Afghanistan.<br /><br />Officials said Nazir was heading to Wana, the main town of South Waziristan, when his vehicle was attacked.<br /><br />Hours after the attack that killed Nazir, four more Taliban fighters were killed in a US drone strike in adjacent North Waziristan Agency.<br /><br />Taliban commander Faisal Khan and two Uzbek fighters were among the dead, sources said.<br /><br />These were the first drone strikes of the new year.<br /><br />The US has continued its drone campaign in the tribal belt bordering Afghanistan despite protests from Pakistan, which says the attacks are counter-productive and a violation of its sovereignty.<br /><br />Nazir had differences with the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan led by Hakimullah Mehsud and was injured in a suicide attack in Wana on November 29 that killed seven persons.<br /><br />Nazir's Wazir tribe expelled members of the Mehsud tribe from Wana and adjoining areas after the suicide attack.<br /><br />In 2007, Nazir led a tribal 'lashkar' or militia and expelled Uzbek fighters from Wana.<br />But he was suspected of sheltering militants from other countries.<br /><br />Nazir's group had also formed an alliance with a Taliban faction in North Waziristan led by Hafiz Gul Bahadar.<br /><br />The two commanders formed the "Shura-e-Mujahideen" and declared Afghan Taliban commander Mullah Omar as their chief.<br /><br />Security analysts said the killing of Nazir could prompt his fighters to launch attacks on Pakistani security forces.</p>
<p>Pakistani pro-government warlord Mullah Nazir and his deputy were among 10 Taliban fighters killed today in fresh wave of US drone strikes in the country's restive Waziristan tribal region.<br /><br />Nazir, his deputy Ratta Khan and four more militants were killed when a CIA-operated spy plane targeted a vehicle in Angoor Adda area of South Waziristan Agency early this morning.<br /><br />Security officials were quoted by the Pakistani media as saying that Nazir was killed in the strike.<br /><br />He was the main militant commander in South Waziristan near the Pak-Afghan border considered to be the base for al-Qaeda, the Taliban and other Islamist foreign militants. Nazir was also a powerful elder of the Waziri tribe and understood to be close to the al-Qaeda-linked Haqqani network.</p>.<p>Nazir had reached a peace deal with the Pakistan military in 2007 under which he had promised not to indulge in militant activities on the Pakistani soil. But the Americans viewed him as anti-US, blaming him for sending his fighters to attack its forces in Afghanistan.<br /><br />Officials said Nazir was heading to Wana, the main town of South Waziristan, when his vehicle was attacked.<br /><br />Hours after the attack that killed Nazir, four more Taliban fighters were killed in a US drone strike in adjacent North Waziristan Agency.<br /><br />Taliban commander Faisal Khan and two Uzbek fighters were among the dead, sources said.<br /><br />These were the first drone strikes of the new year.<br /><br />The US has continued its drone campaign in the tribal belt bordering Afghanistan despite protests from Pakistan, which says the attacks are counter-productive and a violation of its sovereignty.<br /><br />Nazir had differences with the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan led by Hakimullah Mehsud and was injured in a suicide attack in Wana on November 29 that killed seven persons.<br /><br />Nazir's Wazir tribe expelled members of the Mehsud tribe from Wana and adjoining areas after the suicide attack.<br /><br />In 2007, Nazir led a tribal 'lashkar' or militia and expelled Uzbek fighters from Wana.<br />But he was suspected of sheltering militants from other countries.<br /><br />Nazir's group had also formed an alliance with a Taliban faction in North Waziristan led by Hafiz Gul Bahadar.<br /><br />The two commanders formed the "Shura-e-Mujahideen" and declared Afghan Taliban commander Mullah Omar as their chief.<br /><br />Security analysts said the killing of Nazir could prompt his fighters to launch attacks on Pakistani security forces.</p>