At least five suspected militants were killed...

"The drone fired three missiles at a suspected militant compound in Dattakhel area of North Waziristan," PTI said.

The attack targeted a base of the Haqqani network, an independent militant group operating in Afghanistan and Pakistan, which has close ties with Taliban. It is believed to launch attacks on U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan from its compounds in Pakistan"s tribal belt.

Officials say the death toll might be higher.

The U.S. stepped up its drone attacks on Pakistan"s border areas after a suicide bomber linked to the country"s Taliban branch had killed seven CIA agents in the neighbouring Khost province of Afghanistan.

MOSCOW, January 30 (RIA Novosti)