'Air strike' kills 17 in Pakistan

Locals told the BBC an air strike had been carried out on a religious school. Dozens more were injured in the attack in North Waziristan, they said.

The army say the dead were pro-Taleban rebels, killed when a bomb being made at their base exploded prematurely.

In the past, many such blasts have turned out to be missile strikes.

'Children killed'

Locals say the missiles were fired from over the border at the village of Kalarai in the Shawal area of North Waziristan, about 40km (25 miles) west of Miranshah.

They say the target was a madrassa (religious school) and most of the dead were students, among them children.

Military spokesman Maj General Waheed Arshad said it was a training facility for militants and a bomb they were making blew up and led to the casualities.

News agencies quoted Pakistani intelligence officials saying missiles had been fired at a militant training camp - but the officials did not say by whom or from where.

Last October, an air raid on a religious school further north in Bajaur agency left more then 80 people dead.

The authorities said those killed were militants, while locals and survivors insisted they were students.

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6768667.stm