Peshawar: At least 24 Pakistani soldiers were killed and over a dozen woundedin a predawn Nato airstrike on two checkposts along the Afghan border in northwestern Pakistan. This was the second such attack since September 2010 and prompted Islamabad tosealitsborderstoAfghanistan-bound Nato supplies. Coming aheadof theUS drawdown in Afghanistan, the attack is sure to unleash a fresh spat between the two allies and fuel anti-US sentiments in Pakistan.
A Pakistan army statement said Nato helicopter gunships and fighter jets carried out unprovoked firing andsaiditstroops“effectively responded” in self-defence to the “aggression with all available weapons”. It said army chief Ashfaq Pervez Kayani condemned the “blatant and unacceptable act” and “lauded the effective response by the soldiers of Pakistan Army”. The statement said Kayani has directed all necessary steps be taken for an effective response to “this irresponsible act” and that Nato been asked to take urgent action against those responsible.
Officials said the attack came around 2 am at Salala in the tribal Mohmand Agency, about 3km from the Afghan border. What prompted it remains unclear but it is a serious blow to the shaky Pak-US ties that had shown signs of improvement recently. The ties had soured particularly after the US raid to take out al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden without informing Islamabad on May 2.
The attack came a day after Kayani met Afghanistanbased US commander General Allen Jones and discussed “measures of enhancing border control” in Rawalpindi.
Pakistan foreign office condemned the “unprovoked and indiscriminate” attack and said the matter has been taken up with the US and Nato officials on Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani’s directives. Nato chief in Af says probe on into attack
Peshawar: The predawn Nato airstrike on two checkposts along the Afghan border in northwestern Pakistan that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers came a day after Pakistani army chief Ashfaq Pervez Kayani met Afghanistan-based US commander General John R Allen and discussed “measures of enhancing border control” in Rawalpindi.
The Associated Press reported that Nato officials in Kabul said they were aware of the incident and were investigating the matter. Also, the commander of Nato-led forces in Afghanistan, general John R Allen, said in Kabul that he offered his condolences to families of any Pakistani soldiers who “may have been killed or injured” during an “incident” on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. He said the “incident” had his personal attention and he was committed to investigation.
The Pakistan foreign office condemned the “unprovoked and indiscriminate” attack and said the matter had been taken up with the US and Nato officials on PM Yousaf Raza Gilani’s directives.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwagovernor Syed Masood Kausar called the attack a violation of Pakistani sovereignty. “Such cross-border attacks are unacceptable and intolerable. The government would take up the matter at the highest level and launch a thorough investigation,” he said. Two Pakistani soldiers were killed in a similar cross-border raid in September 2010. Pakistan had retaliated by temporarily shutting down Nato supply routes through Pakistan.
A Pakistan army statement said Nato helicopter gunships and fighter jets carried out unprovoked firing andsaiditstroops“effectively responded” in self-defence to the “aggression with all available weapons”. It said army chief Ashfaq Pervez Kayani condemned the “blatant and unacceptable act” and “lauded the effective response by the soldiers of Pakistan Army”. The statement said Kayani has directed all necessary steps be taken for an effective response to “this irresponsible act” and that Nato been asked to take urgent action against those responsible.
Officials said the attack came around 2 am at Salala in the tribal Mohmand Agency, about 3km from the Afghan border. What prompted it remains unclear but it is a serious blow to the shaky Pak-US ties that had shown signs of improvement recently. The ties had soured particularly after the US raid to take out al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden without informing Islamabad on May 2.
The attack came a day after Kayani met Afghanistanbased US commander General Allen Jones and discussed “measures of enhancing border control” in Rawalpindi.
Pakistan foreign office condemned the “unprovoked and indiscriminate” attack and said the matter has been taken up with the US and Nato officials on Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani’s directives. Nato chief in Af says probe on into attack
Peshawar: The predawn Nato airstrike on two checkposts along the Afghan border in northwestern Pakistan that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers came a day after Pakistani army chief Ashfaq Pervez Kayani met Afghanistan-based US commander General John R Allen and discussed “measures of enhancing border control” in Rawalpindi.
The Associated Press reported that Nato officials in Kabul said they were aware of the incident and were investigating the matter. Also, the commander of Nato-led forces in Afghanistan, general John R Allen, said in Kabul that he offered his condolences to families of any Pakistani soldiers who “may have been killed or injured” during an “incident” on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. He said the “incident” had his personal attention and he was committed to investigation.
The Pakistan foreign office condemned the “unprovoked and indiscriminate” attack and said the matter had been taken up with the US and Nato officials on PM Yousaf Raza Gilani’s directives.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwagovernor Syed Masood Kausar called the attack a violation of Pakistani sovereignty. “Such cross-border attacks are unacceptable and intolerable. The government would take up the matter at the highest level and launch a thorough investigation,” he said. Two Pakistani soldiers were killed in a similar cross-border raid in September 2010. Pakistan had retaliated by temporarily shutting down Nato supply routes through Pakistan.
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