PESHAWAR, Pakistan // A suspected US missile strike in Pakistan's tribal belt today killed six people, including Midhat Mursi al Sayid Umar, al Qa'eda's chemical weapons specialist, security officials said.
"We believe he was killed in this strike," a senior intelligence official based in the northwestern city of Peshawar said. "It was his hideout and information that has been shared with us says he was targeted in this strike," the official said, on condition of anonymity.
The Egyptian, 54, also known as Abu Khabab al Masri, had a US$5 million (Dh18.35m) bounty on his head and was alleged to have run terrorist training camps in Afghanistan.
Officials earlier said that three Arab militants and three Pakistani boys were killed when missiles fired by a suspected US drone hit a house attached to a mosque in the South Waziristan tribal district bordering Afghanistan.
Residents said they heard aircraft flying above the area before and after the strike, adding that there had been alarm over similar flights throughout last weekend.
Pakistani officials said the missiles apparently came from US-led coalition troops deployed over the border, which lies about 20km west of Azam Warsak.
"This has been done by coalition forces; we did not do it," a Pakistani security official said.
Osama bin Laden and dozens of Arab al Qa'eda operatives are believed to be hiding in the tribal belt.
The US-led coalition and a separate Nato force in Afghanistan said they were not involved in the missile strike.
However, the US Central Intelligence Agency is also known to operate drones in the region.
The Pakistani military was not immediately available to comment on the attack.
Pakistan has protested against a wave of missile strikes attributed to US-led forces in Afghanistan in recent months that have killed dozens of local people.
The chairman of Pakistan's joint chiefs of staff, Gen Tariq Majid, warned the visiting head of US Central Command, Lt Gen Martin Dempsey, yesterday that repeated strikes were "detrimental to bilateral relations", an army statement said.
Fears have mounted in recent weeks in Pakistan of a possible US invasion of the tribal region. Yousaf Raza Gilani, the prime minister, and other Pakistani officials have warned against any such offensive, saying Pakistan will defend its territorial sovereignty.
In June, 11 Pakistani troops were killed and nine wounded in a US missile strike in the Mohmand tribal district bordering Afghanistan, provoking an angry protest from Islamabad.
* Agence France-Presse
Mia Man’s tips for fermentation
- Start with a simple recipe such as yogurt or sauerkraut
- Keep your hands and kitchen tools clean. Sanitize knives, cutting boards, tongs and storage jars with boiling water before you start.
- Mold is bad: the colour pink is a sign of mold. If yogurt turns pink as it ferments, you need to discard it and start again. For kraut, if you remove the top leaves and see any sign of mold, you should discard the batch.
- Always use clean, closed, airtight lids and containers such as mason jars when fermenting yogurt and kraut. Keep the lid closed to prevent insects and contaminants from getting in.
A State of Passion
Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah
Rating: 4/5
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
The bio
Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite travel destination: Maldives and south of France
Favourite pastime: Family and friends, meditation, discovering new cuisines
Favourite Movie: Joker (2019). I didn’t like it while I was watching it but then afterwards I loved it. I loved the psychology behind it.
Favourite Author: My father for sure
Favourite Artist: Damien Hurst
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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MATCH INFO
What: 2006 World Cup quarter-final
When: July 1
Where: Gelsenkirchen Stadium, Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Result:
England 0 Portugal 0
(Portugal win 3-1 on penalties)
COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: BorrowMe (BorrowMe.com)
Date started: August 2021
Founder: Nour Sabri
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: E-commerce / Marketplace
Size: Two employees
Funding stage: Seed investment
Initial investment: $200,000
Investors: Amr Manaa (director, PwC Middle East)
The%20specs
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