Officials: Suspected drone strike kills 6 in Pakistan

From Nasir Habib, For CNN

A file photograph of a U.S. Predator drone -- six militants were killed in Pakistan by an alleged drone strike on Monday..

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

The suspect strike is in North Waziristan
Monday's suspected drone strike is the 16th of the year
For 2010, suspected strikes total 111

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Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- A suspected U.S. drone strike in Pakistan's tribal region killed six alleged militants Monday, intelligence officials told CNN.

Two intelligence officials said the drone fired two missiles on a militant hideout in the Miran Shah area of North Waziristan, one of the seven districts of Pakistan's volatile tribal region bordering Afghanistan.

The intelligence officials asked not to be named because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

Based on a CNN count, Monday's suspected drone strike was the 16th of the year compared to 111 in all of 2010.

U.S. officials rarely acknowledge publicly the CIA's secret drone program in Pakistan. Privately, U.S. officials say the covert strikes are legal and an effective tactic in the fight against extremists.