MIRANSHAH: A US drone strike on Monday killed 12 people including five militants in Pakistan`s northwestern tribal belt near the Afghan border, security officials said.

The strike hit the Dandey Darpa Khel area, about five kilometres (three miles) from Miranshah, the main town in North Waziristan district, a known hub for Taliban and Al-Qaeda linked militants.

The area is also famous as stronghold of the Al-Qaeda-linked Haqqani network, known for staging attacks on US and NATO troops fighting in Afghanistan.

"The latest reports said at least 12 people have been killed in this drone attack, there were five militants among the dead," a security official at Peshawar told AFP by telephone.

"The US drone fired three missiles and hit a house used by militants. Five militants have been killed," another security official earlier told AFP.

An intelligence official in Miranshah also confirmed the attack and the toll.

BDST: 03:10 HRS, August 24, 2010