A US drone strike killed at least three militants in northwest Pakistan on Thursday, destroying a compound in a mountain stronghold of the Afghan Taliban's Haqqani network, officials said.

The attack took place in Darpakhel Sarai, just outside Miranshah, the main town of North Waziristan, the most notorious bastion of Afghan Taliban and Al-Qaeda-linked fighters in Pakistan's semi-autonomous tribal belt.

"A drone fired two missiles on a militant compound. At least three militants were killed," a senior Pakistani security officials told AFP.

He said those killed were loyal to Jamil Haqqani, an important Afghan commander in the Haqqani network whom US officials said was killed in a drone strike in North Waziristan on October 13.

A US official at the time named him as Janbaz Zadran, saying he "played a central role in helping the Haqqani network attack US and coalition targets in Kabul and southeastern Afghanistan".

Other intelligence officials in Miranshah and the northwestern city of Peshawar confirmed Thursday's missile strike and casualties.