US Drone Crashes in Taliban Stronghold in Pakistan

A US drone has crashed in the Pakistani tribal region of South Waziristan, an area which is generally considered as a safe haven for Taliban and al-Qaida militants.

Although the exact reason for the crash is being probed, local media quoting the officials said technical fault brought down the unmanned aircraft.

Washington has been using pilotless aircraft in the region bordering Afghanistan to target Islamic militants despite a strong opposition from Islamabad.

Locals heard a loud noise when the drone crashed into the Wana region however no casualties have been reported so far, said the Pakistani media.

Authorities are believed to be probing the incident and are on their way to retrieve parts of the aircraft.

The region which was once in the hands of Pakistani Taliban came under severe attack from Islamabad's military in 2009. Nevertheless, the region remains to be a stronghold of Taliban operatives despite strong measures from both the US and Pakistan.

The US has said the region has been used by the Islamic militants in launching attacks against the Nato troops in Afghanistan.

In 2012, more than 250 people have been killed by drone attacks in Pakistan.