AKIPRESS.COM - On Wednesday, an American drone fired four missiles at a militant-hideout in the town of Datta Khel in North Waziristan, killing at least 15 militants, two Pakistani officials said. The identity and nationality of the slain men was not immediately known, Star Tribune says.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media.

U.S. drone strikes are a serious source of tension between Washington and Islamabad. The Pakistani Government regularly denounces the strikes as a violation of the country's sovereignty.

The latest drone took place in the same North Waziristan region where the military operation against local and foreign militants is underway.

On Wednesday, the military carried out fresh airstrikes in the Shawal valley in North Waziristan, killing 35 militants. In a statement, the military said the air strikes were launched to target “fleeing terrorists.”

The air strikes came a day after the military said it had cleared the main North Waziristan town of Miran Shah of militants and also launched a ground operation in another key town of Mir Ali. An army statement Tuesday said 11 militants were killed in a gunbattle in Mir Ali, as well as five soldiers.