AKIPRESS.COM - Many suspected Islamist fighters were killed Wednesday in an U.S. drone attack on a militant hideout in Pakistan's northwest, Irish Sun reported.

The intelligence officials, pleading anonymity, said at least seven militants were killed when two missiles fired from an American-operated drone hit the village of Datta Khel in North Waziristan.

The area is said to be a stronghold of Al-Qaeda and Taliban-linked fighters near the Afghan border.

The officials added most of the militants killed in the attack were foreigners though their identities were not revealed.

It was the fourth drone strike by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in Pakistan during the past few months after a break of around six months.

Last month, two strikes in the same area killed at least 26 militants.

The drone strikes came as the Pakistan army has launched a military operation against the militants of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Taliban and other militant groups in the North Waziristan tribal region after peace talks with the Government failed.

The militant groups want to impose strict Islamic code in the country after throwing away the democratically elected Government in Islamabad.