Missiles fired by US drones killed at least 16 people on Monday in a village in Pakistan’s north in an attack that analysts said was likely to undermine the position of Asif Ali Zardari, the country’s new president.

Pakistani and Afghan Taliban fighters were killed in the strike targeting a religious school founded by an old friend of Osama bin Laden, intelligence officials and Pakistani villagers told Reuters news agency. Four women and two children were also killed, according to a senior intelligence officer.