A United States drone has crashed in north-west Pakistan's tribal district near the Afghan border, officials said.

The unmanned reconnaissance aircraft came down in the mountainous Machikhel area about 30 kilometres east of Miranshah, the main town in North Waziristan region, which is frequently targeted by drone strikes against Taliban and Al Qaeda militants, military and security officials said.

"A US drone crashed, apparently due to some technical fault," a military official in the north-western city of Peshawar said.

Security officials in the region confirmed the crash saying it fell in the mountains.

The crash site has been surrounded by militants, one security official said, refusing to confirm claims by some Taliban that the drone was shot down by insurgents.

Militants had taken away parts of the wreckage, a security official said.

US president Barack Obama last month confirmed for the first time that US drones target Taliban and Al Qaeda militants on Pakistani soil, but American officials do not discuss details of the covert program.

At least 13 militants were killed in two drone attacks on February 16 in North Waziristan and a week earlier Badar Mansoor, described as the "de facto leader of Al Qaeda in Pakistan" was killed in a missile strike, also in North Waziristan.

Reuters