Pakistan: U.S. Planes Killed 11 Troops

Pakistan's Military Says Airstrike Hit Remote Base; 31 Reportedly Killed In Afghan Strikes

(CBS/ AP)  Pakistan reacted angrily Wednesday to what it called an "unprovoked and cowardly" attack by U.S. aircraft that left 11 Pakistani soldiers dead.

CBS News' Farhan Bokhari reports Pakistan's military released a statement Wednesday claiming a Tuesday night airstrike by U.S. military planes hit a remote base along the border with Afghanistan, killing the Pakistani security forces.

A separate airstrike conducted by coalition forces killed 31 people in eastern Afghanistan, Afghan officials said.

In Washington, a Pentagon official said there was an airstrike Tuesday night during an incursion by insurgents into Afghanistan from Pakistan. Coalition forces responded to the attack, and during the battle there was at least one airstrike, the official said, noting that information on the incident was still very sketchy. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak on the record.

Other U.S. defense officials referred calls to the U.S. Embassy in Pakistan, saying the subject was very sensitive. An official at the embassy said there was no comment on the matter, and told CBS News any further information would come from the Pentagon.

According to the statement from Pakistan, U.S. planes bombed a post manned by Pakistani soldiers in a location known as Gora Parai in the Mohmand agency. Mohmand lies along the border, just east of the Afhgan province of Kunar.

A spokesman for the ISPR - the Pakistani military's information outlet - said the security forces, "condemned this completely unprovoked and cowardly act on the (military) post and regretted the loss of precious lives of our soldiers."

The spokesman said, "a strong protest has been launched by the Pakistan Army and we reserve the right to protect our citizens and soldiers against aggression."

Western defense officials warned the Pakistani military's statement reflected growing frustration among the country's military commanders over U.S. strikes on Pakistani soil, Bokhari reports.

In recent months, U.S. officials have privately shared their consternation over Pakistan's alleged failure to more effectively curb the flow of militants across the porous Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

These fighters, according to U.S. officials, routinely regroup in Pakistan before returning to Afghanistan to fight Western troops.

Pakistani defense officials, however, accuse the U.S. of failing to share intelligence on the movement of terror suspects - thus making it harder for Pakistani forces to monitor and fight the militants.

A Western defense official based in Islamabad told Bokhari the ISPR's reference to reserving "the right to protect our citizens and soldiers against aggression" raised the danger of Pakistani forces in the border area responding with force to any future U.S. strikes.

"There is a rise in the overall temperature," said the official, who spoke to CBS News on condition of anonymity.

In the Afghanistan airstrikes, which took place in the Paktika province, about 150 miles south along the border from the reported strike in Pakistan, an Afghan official said at least 31 people had been killed.

Interior Ministry spokesman Zemeri Bashary said most of the dead were foreign fighters, but Khalid Farooqi, a lawmaker from the province, said at least nine civilians were killed.

The U.S.-led coalition said earlier four civilians and "several" militants had been killed in clashes in northern Paktika province. Twelve militants were detained.

Farooqi said the operation apparently targeted militant commander Mullah Mohammad Nabi and fighters who served under him.

A coalition statement said troops in Paktika province had been targeting two militant leaders involved in setting up attacks with explosives and helping foreign fighters.

The troops were fired on and responded with air strikes and gunfire.

U.S. military spokesman Lt.-Col. Rumi Nielson-Green said the four civilians who died - three women and a boy - were all within the buildings the militants were firing from Tuesday.

She called it "tragic" that the civilians died but blamed the militants for putting them in harm's way.

Civilian casualties have been a problem for the U.S.-led coalition over the years, though fewer civilian deaths have been reported so far this year than in 2007.

Meanwhile, Pakistan denied and denounced a report from a U.S. think tank alleging that elements within the country's security and intelligence forces help insurgents fighting in neighboring Afghanistan.

A statement from Pakistan's military called the U.S. Defense Department-funded RAND Corp. report a "smear campaign."

"The report is misleading, factually incorrect and based on propaganda to create doubts and suspicion in the minds of (the) target audience about Pakistan's role in supporting the coalition forces in Afghanistan," said the statement, released late Tuesday.

The RAND report, published Monday, warns of "crippling, long-term consequences" for the U.S. in Afghanistan if insurgent hideouts in Pakistan are not eliminated.

It said some active and former officials in Pakistan's intelligence service and the Frontier Corps - a paramilitary force - directly aided Taliban militants.

[andrew_693]

the idea is to keep killing to keep jesus happy because in the good book it says "thou shall kill"

[dobbershome]

We don''t make these bombs to just leave them lying around. Drop em''--drop em'' twice!

[petro49l]

Bin Laden spends too many nights sleeping with his wife, Zawahiri. Instead of blowing kisses at Mazri, Bin Laden should worry about Coalition war planes. Bombs end a war on terror. Al Qada cannot fight without structures, troops, and supplies.

Let''s face it - we LOVE to kill our friends.

Any country that considers itself to be an ally of the US - WATCH OUT!!!!

We''re comin'' to gitch ya!!!!

We will rape your women, we will kill your men, and we will kill your children too.

Because that''s how we spread "democracy".

We will put an enemy of your people in power, so that they can arrest and torture you too.

Because that''s how we spread "democracy".

It worked for us in Iran and Guatemala back in the 1950''s, and it will work for you too.

Your lack of freedom is our "democracy" - your death is our "democracy".

[mabangash]

the repurcussions of this will go beyond your wildest imagination. do not underestimate pakistan and turn an ally into your worst possible enemy.

[ausmscmaj]

dsjim - Give it a rest, will you? That was so long ago and your buds already did your job for you on that one.

[downsteamjim]

I bet John Kerry gets another purple heart.

[floydzeppl]

Bush sure did drop the ball in Afghanistan to invade Iraq for now reason. And what''s such a hoot is that there are still Shrub Suckling supporters out there.

[feelfree4u]

Re: "As long as the afghans get to keep growing poppy,...their will be blood."

Opium production was negligible under Taliban rule.

You can thank George for reviving production in Afghanistan, which now supplies more than 90% of the total global supply.

[m95foru]

I for one do not believe Pakistan,...they''ve been covering up for helping the taliban since the 90''s.As long as the afghans get to keep growing poppy,...their will be blood.There''s just nothing else that brings in the cash there......so the world + dog needs to find a solution for these people.Being landlocked and confined do not make a happy people

[libh8er]

then it doesn''''t matter who dies just so someone does. Posted by WDRussell1 at 12:26 PM : Jun 11, 2008

Your turn, bedwetting whiner!

[libh8er]

Oh well....I guess more towel heads will take to the streets and set themselves on fire shouting ''death to America.'' Works for me.

[liberalme]

NO! What makes sense was to have stayed Bin Laden and those who attacked us BEFORE this happened. Instead we got a belly full of LIES to attack a Country that had NO Al Queda in it AND who posed no threat to us. The ONLY question here is can we make it until the Election. Sieg Heil Bush

Posted by MCVet at 03:18 PM : Jun 11, 2008


Awww what the heII--lets invade Pakistan, Iran--remain in Iraq and Afganistan---lets draft everyone under the age of 90 and head em up and move em out!!

While we''re all out there fighting Bushs war with people who just happen to be alive so we can shoot them--Bush can rule this country the way he''s dreamed of---letting the wealthy live the life they''re accustomed to while being waited on by illegal aliens working for food and lodging.

Yes sir--sure gonna hate to see these terrorists in wahsington leave!

[mcvet]

Of course Democrats would side with the "Un-Named Pakistani Officials" making the claims. These innocent victims could be friends of Democrats like Al Qaeda or Taliban that has been given sanctury in Pakistan. As long as Al Qaeda is killing Americans, Democrats are happy, but if we respond and attack, Democrats are right their with their terrorist partners in Al Qaeda and IRAN to Denounce the United States.


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Posted by demslie at 11:04 AM : Jun 11, 2008

It''s amazing!! Yet another bootlicker discovers Al Queda is in Pakistan!! ROFLMAO How did they get there you pathetic FASCIST bootlicker?? Defend the fuhrer to the death huh?? That SERIOUSLY challenged Mental Patient YOU call a President is a LIAR and INCOMPETENT! It''s not about his politics swastika breath... that joker can''t carry out the garbage let alone capture those who attacked us!! Come on! Shout it out!! SIEG HEIL BUSH!!

[mcvet]

Lefty has been hangin with MCvet to much..

What lefty and others do not understand is that you have to fight fire with fire.. Terror with terror.. If one side plays by the rules and the other side does not.. you will never win the game.. plan and simple.. life isn''''t a fairy tale where the good guy always wins..

Some people can''''t not grasp reality?


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Posted by cornbiker at 10:49 AM : Jun 11, 2008
+ report abuse

You know I have BEEN in combat YOU obviously wouldn''t know which end of the "gun" to fire!! When you are up to your neck fighting in a Country that had NOTHING to do with any attack on you AND those who DID attack you are all fat and happy in ANOTHER Country... Sparky that''s called getting your butt whooped! It''s also called INCOMPETENCE. Every Marine NCO is taught from day one, when in pursuit of your enemy you NEVER EVER stop and take off in another direction... in other words YOU do NOT open TWO fronts... Now let''s give the fuhrer that bootlickers chant.. ready??? Sieg Heil Bush! Sieg Heil Bush! Sieg Heil Bush!

[mcvet]

leftyintexas at 10:08 AM*************A fox always smells his own hole. Are you seeing too many Nazi''''s these days? Who you hangin'''', Bro? Ain''''t too many gestapo steppin'''' anything around here these days. Perhaps you''''re hangin'''' where you shouldn''''t be hangin''''?


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Posted by maxify55 at 10:38 AM : Jun 11, 2008

ROFLMAO This from the KING BOOTLICKER of all time!! Tell you what Swastika Breath. I''ll let a PRO decided IF or IF you are NOT a fascist... the decision is already out there on Bush. Let''s go to an INDEPENDENT Professional in Political Scientic. Take 12 of your greatest hit post on here... Give you 20-1 HE agrees! YOU and YOUR kind are practicing FASCISM. What do ya say?? ROFLMAO Now stand, wipe that polish off your mouth for Gods sake... ready?? SIEG HEIL BUSH!! SIEG HEIL CHENEY!! Wow! That was good... you get a sucker at your next rally!!

[mcvet]

Makes sense to hit ''''em where they are, the Pakistan troops in that area are more likely to aid the Taliban and al qaeda than to try to stop terrorists/attackers from crossing the border into Afghanistan.

If you don''''t want to die as a terrorist, don''''t associate or congregate with them.


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Posted by darjon38 at 02:17 PM : Jun 11, 2008
+ report abuse

NO! What makes sense was to have stayed Bin Laden and those who attacked us BEFORE this happened. Instead we got a belly full of LIES to attack a Country that had NO Al Queda in it AND who posed no threat to us. The ONLY question here is can we make it until the Election. Sieg Heil Bush

[darjon38]

Makes sense to hit ''em where they are, the Pakistan troops in that area are more likely to aid the Taliban and al qaeda than to try to stop terrorists/attackers from crossing the border into Afghanistan.

If you don''t want to die as a terrorist, don''t associate or congregate with them.

[ioweign]

Some people can''t not grasp reality?

Posted by cornbiker at 10:49 AM : Jun 11, 2008


And you prove it....

[acolton1]

Bushie is a trigger happy NAZI and a complete LOOSER Douschbag and the Worst President this country has ever had. Good Ridance to the Cheneys and the Bushies they are all Super Douschbags.