US President Barack Obama is concerned over the loss of life in new militant attacks in Pakistan, the White House said Thursday, adding the strikes underscored the threat from extremists. "The president is always concerned when there's a loss of innocent civilian life," said White House deputy spokesman Bill Burton as Obama flew to New Orleans on Air Force One.

"This shows once again that the militants in Pakistan threaten both Pakistan and the United States," Burton said, adding that Obama had been encouraged by recent actions by the Pakistani military to tackle extremists.

Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2009