A US drone strike killed four militants Monday and destroyed a rebel compound in Pakistan’s lawless tribal badlands along the Afghan border, local security officials said.

Pakistani officials say unmanned US aircraft have significantly stepped up attacks on Taliban and Al-Qaeda-linked operatives in the semi-autonomous region this month, clocking up at least 19 attacks in 24 days.

Monday’s strike took place in Khushali Toorikhel village southeast of Miranshah, the main town in North Waziristan, the tribal district that has been the focus of the covert drone campaign as a Taliban and Al-Qaeda stronghold.

“We can now confirm that four militants were killed when a US drone fired two missiles on a militant compound,” a senior Pakistani security official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

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It’s Raining Hellfire Missiles in North Wazirsitan: Three CIA Drone Airstrikes Today Kills Nine Terrorists…

At least two people were killed in the third U.S. drone attack launched Sunday evening in Pakistan ‘ s northwest tribal area of North Waziristan, reported local media.

The third attack took place in the same area of the previous two strikes launched on Sunday. Minutes before the third strike, the U.S. drones launched two strikes in the area of Miranshah of North Waziristan which borders Afghanistan.

In the first strike, the U.S. drones fired three missiles at a house located at the Datta Khel road in Miranshah, killing at least four people and injuring two others.

In the second strike, six to seven U.S. drones seen hovering over Miranshah fired five missiles at a target at the Tarmano Road in the area, killing at least three people.

So far, at least nine people were killed in Sunday’s U.S. drone strikes.

The third U.S. drone strike launched Sunday accounts for the seventh of its kind over the last week, during which at least over 20 people were reportedly killed, including quite a number of militants.