Pakistan - Four people have been killed in the latest US drone attack on local tribesmen in Pakistan's northwestern area near the border with Afghanistan.

A US drone fired two missiles into the compounds belonging to what Washington calls suspected militant hideouts in the suburbs of Mir Ali, a town in North Waziristan.

The missiles targeted "two compounds owned by local tribesmen," AFP quoted a local security official who spoke on condition of anonymity as saying.

"We have confirmation of four people killed and more than five injured," said another Pakistani security official.

The identities of the victims were not immediately clear.

The United States has been conducting drone attacks in tribal areas within the Pakistani borders despite protests from Islamabad.

The strikes have meaningfully hiked since US President Barack Obama took office last year.

Washington says the drone attacks target militant hideouts in Pakistan, but the soaring number of civilian causalities inflicted during the strikes has given raise to strong anti-US sentiments across Pakistan.

MRS/HGH

Originally published in press TV