Pakistanis protest U.S. drone strikes

Hundreds of angry tribesmen march through the dusty streets of Bannu in northwestern Pakistan.

They're protesting against U.S. drone attacks in the region.

Chanting anti-American slogans, demonstrators gather to listen to local leaders denounce the controversial tactics employed by the U.S. in its battle against militants near the Afghan border.

Over the last three years, drone strikes have quietly become the U.S. administration's weapon of choice against insurgents.

In 2010 alone, the unmanned aerial vehicles claimed more than 1,000 lives.

One anti-drone activist describes the attacks as "terrorism".

(SOUNDBITE) (Urdu) LOCAL LEADER AND ANTI-DRONE ACTIVIST, FAKHR AZAM, SAYING:

"These are innocent tribesmen who defeated the British, who defeated Russia. Today America is terrified of their might. There are no terrorists here; these are suffering tribal people. This is just American terrorism. America is the biggest terrorist."

The sweeping use of drone strikes in Pakistan has created unprecedented anti-American sentiment in the volatile country.

While U.S. intelligence officials claim that only a handful of civilians have died in drone attacks, the vast majority of Pakistanis believe thousands of non-combatants have perished.

Travis Brecher, Reuters