Pakistan: U.S. drones kill 18 suspected militants

drone pakistan generic / AP

(CBS/AP> ISLAMABAD — American missiles slammed into militant hideouts close to the Afghan border Friday, killing 18 suspected militants, Pakistani officials said, just a day after the government summoned an American diplomat to protest the drone strikes in the tribal areas.

The strikes Friday were the fourth attack in the span of a week, as well as the most deadly.

The frequency of such attacks appears to suggest an escalation of the efforts, CBS News experts say.

The drone campaign has been a source of friction between the U.S. and Pakistan, which sees the strikes as an infringement on its sovereignty. The U.S. maintains the campaign is vital to combating militants, including al Qaeda, operating in Pakistan's northwest tribal region near the Afghan border.

On Thursday, Pakistan's Foreign Ministry summoned a U.S. diplomat to protest the recent drone strikes.

"A senior U.S. diplomat was called to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and informed that the drone strikes were unlawful, against international law and a violation of Pakistan's sovereignty. It was emphatically stated that such attacks were unacceptable," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The diplomat was not identified.

One day later, Pakistani intelligence officials said American drone-fired missiles hit three militant hideouts in Pakistan's North Waziristan tribal areas.

The officials said each of the three compounds was hit by two missiles. Militants often use these hideouts when they are crossing into Afghanistan, the officials said.

Fourteen people were also injured in the attack.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to reporters. There was no immediate U.S. comment.

Islamabad's protest followed a string of three drone attacks earlier this week.

On Saturday, five allies of a powerful warlord, Hafiz Gul Bahadur, whose forces often strike U.S. troops in Afghanistan, died when a U.S. drone struck their hideout. On Sunday American drones fired a flurry of missiles into the Pakistani tribal area bordering Afghanistan, killing 10 suspected militants. On Tuesday, missiles targeting a vehicle killed five more suspected militants.

All the strikes this week came in North Waziristan, one of the last areas of the tribal region in which the Pakistani military has not conducted any operations against militants. The U.S. has pushed repeatedly for Pakistan to open an offensive there, and U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta recently said Pakistani authorities would start a campaign there soon. So far there are few signs on the ground of a large-scale offensive.

The drone strikes are unpopular in Pakistan because many people believe they mostly kill civilians — an allegation disputed by the U.S.

Despite Pakistan's public protests, the government is widely believed to have supported the attacks quietly in the past. That cooperation has come under pressure as the relationship between the two countries has deteriorated.

The U.S. shows no sign that it is willing to end or curtail the contentious program.

[mccgeno]

Drones are our most effective weapon against Islamic extremists. They're vulnerable anywhere, and it scares the hell out of them.

[technocoffee]

Waaaaaaaaa!!!! We are suppose to care that drones take out terrorists & their families. Islam's Killing Spree of terrorism since the founding of Israel is the reason innocent muslims have to die, too. Since muslim extremists aim their fight AT innocents, we cannot be bothered when we aim our fight at the ACTUAL TERRORISTS and a few of their innocent people are lost. Think it's a coincidence that the area of the world where Islam originated (Middle East) has NEVER had lasting peace since?? Now the places where Islam has spread (Pakistan, Bangladesh, Kashmir, Philippines, Bali) all have increasing unrest with militant Islam as well.

[quincytodd]

Another field day for the right-wing thugs in Washington!

[OnTheRoad01]

Ok, it seems that you can kill/rape or whatever here in this country and be placed on death row and live out a full life of 20 to 30 years, yet, in Pakistan if we just suspect you of being a 'bad' guy we will kill you and everyone within 20 yards of you! Is this really the way to run a country or a war?

[OnTheRoad01]

@SnoopKK: Seems that your mother did not get her free birth control piles! Or maybe she just was not smart enough to know how to use them!

[usunus]

It appears these U.S drones don't kill women and children like the forces of the evil Bashar Assad .

[Calltwoarms]

Yes we are killing civilians, because technically these militants are civilians.

[GTR5]

We need to tell the Pakis to go shove it. We should stop all aid money to Pakistan and stop issuing Visas to the Pakis to come here. Send all of the Pakis that are here back home. No more money, no more Visas and no more apologies.

[Well_You_Aint_Me]

When will they decide Pakistan IS NOT our friend and leave that hell hole with all our $$?