US strike kills eight militants

A US missile strike killed eight alleged militants in northwest Pakistan yesterday on the final day of a year that has seen a major escalation in drone attacks targeting insurgents flowing into neighbouring Afghanistan.

Four missiles struck militants travelling by car and on foot near the town of Ghulam Khan in the North Waziristan tribal area on the Afghan border.

It was the third day this week of attacks on the region, part of a US campaign to take out al-Qaida and Taliban fighters seeking sanctuary outside Afghanistan.