PESHAWAR: A US drone strike killed at least seven militants in Pakistan’s restive tribal belt on Thursday, including an important commander of the feared Haqqani network, security officials said.

The attack happened early Thursday in Nargas village of Birmil area, some 30 kilometers west of Wana, the main town of South Waziristan tribal region near the Afghan border which is considered a stronghold of Taleban militants.

Meanwhile, 29 people were killed and thousands of civilians forced to flee Pakistan’s northwestern region of Khyber, the military said on Thursday, as it stepped up a two-week-old offensive against militants in the area.

22 suspected militants and eight soldiers were killed on Wednesday, the military said in a statement, but gave no figure for civilian casualties. National disaster officials say the fighting has forced more than 18,000 people to abandon their homes.

Residents of the area say many people are caught between the two opposing forces, as the military orders them to leave and the militants urge them to stay.

“Security forces were asking us to leave their area as there would be heavy bombing against the militants,” said one villager, Muddasir Shah.

But the militants had set up bunkers and were patrolling villages to prevent residents from leaving, he added.

“The militants were saying we shouldn’t flee the villages. We don’t know whom we should trust.”

The military said it had killed dozens of militants in airstrikes and fighting since the fighting began in Khyber.