ISLAMABAD (TIP): A US drone strike targeting a seminary in Hangu district’s Tal area in northwest Pakistan on Thursday killed at least five persons and injured eight others. The drone fired three missiles on the seminary at about 5am, killing five persons, media reports said. The attack comes a day after the Prime Minister’s adviser on foreign affairs and national security Sartaj Aziz told the Senate body that the US had assured Pakistan of not conducting drone strikes during the government’s talk with the Taliban.

Today’s attack was also first since the one that killed Tehrik-e- Taliban chief Hakimullah Mehsud on November 1. Those wounded in the attack included students of the seminary whereas the identities of the deceased could not be ascertained, reports said. This is a rare drone attack outside Pakistan’s tribal areas. US had earlier come under vicious criticism by Pakistani politicians and media for allegedly “sabotaging” the peace talks with the Taliban. Aziz had told the Senate Standing Committee on foreign affairs on Wednesday that US was informed that drone strike against Hakimullah Mehsud has disrupted negotiations with the Taliban, state-run Radio Pakistan reported.He said Washington has given assurance that militants holding talks will not be targeted.Aziz did not inform how it will be determined that Taliban were holding talks and how the US will be updated about the status of negotiations