A Burr Nato Adds to Tensions Between United States and Pakistan

A burr NATO adds to tensions between United States and Pakistan

NATO helicopters killed by error from 24 to 28 Pakistani soldiers by bombing Saturday two military outposts during an incursion in the north-west Pakistan, exacerbating already high tensions between Washington and Islamabad.

Pakistani authorities have responded to the raid by closing vital supply routes through which passes much of the logistical equipment for the troops of the Atlantic Alliance in Afghanistan.

This “blunder” is the most serious of its kind since Pakistan allied itself with reluctance in Washington in the wake of the attacks of September 11, 2001 in the United States.

Relationships between the two countries, allies in the fight against Islamic extremism, had already been undermined by the death of Osama bin Laden in May during a raid by U.S. special forces in the Pakistani garrison city of ‘Abbottabad. Islamabad had denounced a flagrant violation of its sovereignty.

Saturday, the government and the country’s army did not hide their anger.

“It is an attack against the sovereignty of Pakistan. We will not allow commit any violation (this) sovereignty,” said Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani.

The Pakistani Foreign Ministry said it would protest “in the strongest terms” with NATO and the United States.

In a statement, Ashfaq Pervez Kayani General, Chief of Staff of the armed forces, called for “all necessary measures are taken to an effective response to this irresponsible act.” He added that a protest was sent to NATO / ISAF, demanding that those responsible for this “aggression” are punished promptly, firmly.

NIGHT OPERATION

General John R. Allen, commander of allied troops (ISAF) in Afghanistan, offered condolences to the families of victims “who were killed or injured” during an “accident”.

A spokesman for NATO later confirmed that Pakistani soldiers were killed in the cross-border operation, without advance toll.

“A close air support was requested in the evolution of tactics and is probably what has caused casualties on the Pakistani side,” he told Reuters General Carsten Jacobson, spokesman for ISAF, adding that investigations were continuing.

The U.S. Embassy in Islamabad also presented condolences. In a statement, Ambassador Cameron Munter ensures that the U.S. investigate closely with Pakistan on this matter.

Two military officials said 28 soldiers were killed and 11 wounded in the attack checkpoints, 2.5 km from the Afghan border. The Pakistani military has reported 24 soldiers killed and 13 wounded.

The bombing took place at 2 am (2100 GMT) in the Mohmand tribal area, where the army fighting the Taliban.

“Pakistani soldiers in self-defense immediately responded to the aggression of NATO / ISAF with every weapon available,” said the military statement.

Forty Pakistani soldiers were at the forefront in the raid and two officers were among the dead, according to a military source.

SUPPLIES BLOCKED

“The last raid of NATO forces against our position will have serious consequences because they attacked him for no reason and killed the soldiers who were asleep,” said a Pakistani military who asked to remain anonymous.

Sign of the confusion in time of war in an ill-defined border, a senior Afghan border, Edrees Momand, said a joint unit of NATO and Pakistan this Saturday morning near a checkpoint was arrested several activists.

“I am not aware of the victims on the other side of the border, but those we have arrested are not Afghan Taliban,” he said implying that it was Pakistani Taliban operating in Afghanistan.

According to ISAF, the bombing took place after armed helicopters had taken fire warning from Pakistani soldiers in an attack by the Taliban.

The attack came a day after a meeting between John Allen and General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani, whose discussions focused on border control and the improvement of bilateral cooperation.

Following the raid, Pakistani authorities have blocked trucks from NATO in Jamrud, in the tribal area of ​​Khyber near Peshawar, officials said.

“We stopped deliveries and forty trucks and tankers returned from checkpoint Jamrud,” said an official told Reuters, Mutahi Zeb.

A colleague said that the supplies had been blocked for security reasons in reporting a risk of attacks against convoys of supplies in Khyber Agency. The border crossing at Chaman, in Balochistan, was also closed, officials said border services.

With Mehsur Saud, Bushra Ahmad Jibran Takseen and Pakistan, Hamid Shalizi in Afghanistan, Henri-Pierre Andre, Benjamin Massot and Philippe Bas-Rabérin for the French service