A suspected U.S. drone fired missiles into a hideout of Taliban militants in Pakistan's North Waziristan tribal region on Monday, killing five militants, intelligence officials and residents said, according to Reuters.
The attack took place near Mir Ali town, a major sanctuary for militants linked to al Qaeda and the Taliban in Pakistan's tribal lands on the Afghan border.
"The militants have cordoned off the area and no one is allowed to go to the site of the attack," a resident, who did not want to be identified, told Reuters by telephone.
An intelligence official said a fortress-like house of a tribesman used by militants was targeted. "Five militants were killed and all of them are Uzbeks," he added.
Pakistani Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud was killed in a similar attack in the neighboring South Waziristan region last month.
Militant violence is steadily surging across the northwest since Taliban appointed Hakimullah Mehsud, a young commander and an aide to Mehsud, as their new leader last month.
Five Pakistani soldiers were killed in a land mine explosion in South Waziristan on Sunday.
Residents said an exchange of fire also took place between security forces and militants but there was no word on casualties.