Drone strikes kill 21 in Pakistan

Two drone strikes since Monday in North Waziristan have killed at least 21 people, possibly including a top local commander, said a Pakistan security official and residents of the area, a stronghold of Al Qaeda and the Taliban. The latest strike, on Wednesday, killed 12 people in Madakhel, when seven missiles hit a compound and two vehicles, residents said. The dead may include Hafiz Gul Bahadar, a Waziri commander, they said, though the claim could not be confirmed. The Pakistani military has resisted extending its operations to North Waziristan, where American and Pakistani interests seem to divide.