**At least eight suspected militants have been killed in a US drone attack in north-western Pakistan, officials say.**The aircraft fired two missiles near Mir Ali town in North Waziristan district, close to the Afghan border.
North and South Waziristan are a major sanctuary for al-Qaeda and Taliban militants.
Hundreds of people, many of them civilians, have been killed in drone attacks in the past year. Top Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud was among them.
Pakistan has publicly criticised drone attacks, saying they fuel support for the militants.
The US military does not routinely confirm drone attacks, but the US armed forces and CIA in Afghanistan are the only forces capable of deploying drones in the region, analysts say.