US missile in Pakistan strikes Al Qaida nest

Peshawar: A suspected US missile strike that killed around 13 foreign militants in Pakistan's North Waziristan region this week has targeted Al Qaida leaders, according to residents in the tribal area.

An intelligence official said on Thursday that there were seven Arabs and six Central Asians killed.

He said the attack was believed to have been carried out by a pilotless US Predator aircraft flown across the nearby border with Afghanistan.

"The missile appeared to have been fired by a drone," the intelligence official said.

Pakistan says it will not tolerate violations of its territorial sovereignty and reports of such attacks are embarrassing for the US-Pakistani alliance.

The Pakistani authorities have not confirmed the attack, and the Pentagon has denied taking any action