Washington, June 9 (ANI): U.S. President Barack Obama has ordered a "sharp increase" in drone strikes in Pakistan's tribal areas in recent months, a report said.
According to a Bloomberg report, U.S. officials said they expect Pakistan to halt Central Intelligence Agency operations (CIA) in the country in retaliation to the drone strikes, and shut down the only air base being used for drones, reports The Express Tribune.
However, Pakistani national security officials, claimed that all CIA officers working on the drone program were expelled and the drones were now being launched from bases in Afghanistan.
The U.S. officials were further quoted as saying that Obama's decision to increase drone attacks reflected the "mounting U.S. frustration with Pakistan over a growing list of disputes".
U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta had stated on Thursday that the U.S. was reaching the limits of its patience with Pakistan because of the safe havens the country offered to insurgents in neighbouring Afghanistan.
Pakistan, on Saturday, rejected Panetta's statements and said he was "oversimplifying some of the very complex issues we are dealing with in our efforts against extremism and terrorism". (ANI)
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