US Kills Taliban Commander With al-Qaeda Ties

A US drone fired two missiles at a house in Pakistan's northwest tribal region today, killing five suspected militants, according to intelligence officials. The Taliban identified one of them as Badar Mansoor, a prominent commander who has served as a key link to al-Qaeda. Mansoor led a group of more than 200 Pakistani Taliban fighters in the North Waziristan tribal area, the main sanctuary for militants in Pakistan, said a fellow insurgent.

The strike hit the main bazaar in Miran Shah, the biggest town in North Waziristan. It was the second such strike in as many days in North Waziristan, an indication the drone program is picking up steam again after a slowdown caused by tensions with Pakistan over NATO airstrikes that accidentally killed 24 Pakistani soldiers last year. (More North Waziristan stories.)