Sixteen militants, including 10 from the dreaded Haqqani network, were killed in two successive CIA drone strikes in Pakistan's restive tribal region as the US resumed its controversial unmanned spy plane programme after a five-month hiatus.

Six militants including four Uzbeks were killed in the first strike last night around five km north of Miranshah, the capital of the North Waziristan tribal region, Pakistani military sources said today. Reports said all the 10 militants killed in the second strike today were affiliated with the feared Haqqani network that regularly launches attacks on US-led Western forces in Afghanistan.

The drone strikes came after the deadly attack at Karachi airport on Sunday that left 39 people dead including 10 Taliban militants, reportedly Uzbek fighters.