Vehicle carrying three people destroyed in raid in Dattakhel area of North Waziristan tribal district, official says.

At least three people have been killed in a suspected US drone attack in Pakistan’s northwestern region along the Afghan border, according to a Pakistani security official.

The target of Saturday’s attack was a vehicle in Dattakhel area in North Waziristan, one of seven tribal districts and hotbed of al-Qaeda-linked fighters.

All three people travelling in the car were killed and the vehicle completely destroyed, the security official said on condition of anonymity.

“The identity of the militants was unclear but this area is mostly occupied by members of the militant commander Gul Bahadur’s group,” another security official in Peshawar told AFP news agency.

Yet another official on the ground in Miranshah said that the vehicle had been driving through a village 35km west of Miranshah, the headquarters of North Waziristan tribal district.

“We have reports that two militants of Gul Bahadur group were also injured in the attack,” he told AFP on condition of anonymity.

Witnesses told that drones continued hovering over the area after the attack, which triggered fear among the residents.

The incident came a day after violent protests in Pakistan against a film produced in the US denigrating Prophet Muhammad left at least 17 dead.

Pakistan has opposed the drone attacks, which it says increase anti-US sentiment and drive support for armed groups.

The US has persisted with the strikes, saying they are necessary to target armed groups who pose a global security threat.