Pakistan Wednesday summoned the US envoy and lodged a protest over air raids of coalition forces Tuesday night in the country's tribal region, killing at least 11 soldiers, according to local press reports.
Senate leader Raza Rabbani was quoted as saying that US Ambassador Anne W. Patterson was told that such unprovoked attacks are unacceptable and could harm Pakistan's cooperation with the US-led coalition in Afghanistan.
A wounded tribesman belonging to the Mohmand tribal agency which borders with Afghanistan, is treated in a hospital in Peshawar June 11, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
She was told that the attack was unprovoked and a gross violation of international border between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
The US ambassador was told that the attack was a blatant negation of the huge sacrifices Pakistan has made in its endeavor to combat terrorism.
The envoy was told that the attack also tended to undermine the very basis of the cooperation with the coalition forces and warrants a serious re-think on their part of the consequences that could ensue from such rash acts.
In a statement Wednesday, Pakistan's army said that the attack was launched on an army border check post at the Gora Prai area in Mohmand Agency by the US-led coalition forces based in Afghanistan resulting in the killing of 11 Pakistani security personnel including an officer and injuries to several others.
The army condemned this completely unprovoked and cowardly act on the check post and regretted the loss of precious lives of the Pakistani soldiers.
(Xinhua News Agency June 12, 2008)
