„From the first day of the attack until now 70 civilians have been killed,“ said a tribal elder in Mir Ali who declined to be identified for fear of state reprisals.

„Some truck drivers and hotel and shop keepers were shot directly, and dozens were killed by gunships, mortars, and artillery shelling on the civilian population.“

The army did not respond to Reuters telephone calls and text messages requesting a comment on the allegations of civilian deaths in North Waziristan.