A suspected U.S. drone Tuesday launched an attack on a suspected hideout of Taliban militants in a Pakistani tribal region and killed at least 14 people, local TV channels reported.

Two missiles were fired in Ladha in South Waziristan, the area controlled by Pakistan Taliban chief Baitullah Mahsud, according to locals.

The private Geo television reported that the drone hit a hideout of Taliban militants at a time when the Pakistani forces have also continued operation against Baitullah Mahsud.

The attack is the third in South Waziristan in less than a month.Up to 60 people were killed when the drone fired missiles at a funeral procession of a Taliban commander in some two weeks ago, accoding to previous report.

The U.S has intensified drone attacks on the tribal regions despite Pakistan's protest at a time when the security forces are engaged in a major offensive against Baitulalh Mahsud in South Waziristan bordering Afghanistan.

Pakistani officials said the drone strikes have killed more than 400 people in about 42 attacks since August 2008.

(Xinhua News Agency July 7, 2009)