Three militants killed in Pakistan's first drone strike in North Waziristan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Army on Monday claimed to have killed three suspected militants in Shawal valley of North Waziristan tribal region on the border with Afghanistan in its first ever air strike by a locally manufactured unmanned drone aircraft, named "Burraq".

Major General Asim Bajwa, army's spokesperson, announced the first ever use of the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) on his Twitter page saying that a terrorist compound was hit and three high-profile militants were killed in the air strike carried out by "Burraq". The strike means Pakistan has joined a small club of nations, to have successfully used a remote-controlled aircraft to eliminate their enemies.

'Burraq' was developed alongside 'Shahpar' in cooperation with the National Engineering and Scientific Commission (NESCOM), which is a civilian controlled Pakistani scientific research organisation. Pakistan Army had tested 'Burraq' armed with laser-guided 'Barq' missile for the first time on March 14, 2015. Both Burraq drone and Barq missile, according to the army, have been indigenously developed. Jane's Defence Weekly had reported that the Burraq bore a "striking resemblance" to a drone produced by China, Pakistan's close ally.

Shawal valley, where Pakistan army targeted militants for the first time with drone, is considered as the last bastion of militants in North Waziristan. The army had launched a ground offensive in the thickly forested mountainous Shawal Valley last month.

Most of North Waziristan, which until recent months was controlled by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan was recaptured by the army in a major armed operation, codenamed Zarb-e-Azb, which was launched in June 2014.