Islamabad, March 9 (DPA) A suspected US drone attack Monday in Pakistan's tribal region near the Afghan border killed at least five people, an intelligence official said.

Three more people were injured in the aerial strike that targeted a house in Miran Shah, the main town in tribal district North Waziristan, a known sanctuary of Taliban and Al Qaeda militants.

An intelligence official who spoke on condition of anonymity said the identity of those killed and wounded was not yet known.

The US military has recently intensified drone strikes in North Waziristan from where Taliban and Al Qaeda fighters launch cross border raids on NATO-led international forces in Afghanistan.

Dozens of Al Qaeda operatives and some major Taliban leaders have died in the US aerial strikes, although a large number of civilians also perished.

Pakistan, a key US ally in fight against terrorism, has repeatedly protested the airstrikes, saying they violate the country's sovereignty. But analysts believe Pakistani spy agencies covertly share intelligence with CIA about the possible targets.