A US drone attack that killed five rebels in Pakistan's tribal badlands Friday was targeting top Al-Qaeda operative Ilyas Kashmiri, local officials told AFP without being able to say whether he was present.

Kashmiri is considered one of the most active and feared commanders of the network run by slain terror kingpin Osama bin Laden and is blamed for several attacks or attempted attacks in India, Pakistan and on Western targets.

The 47-year-old is wanted by the United States, which is offering a $5 million reward for any information that might help locate him.