Afghan to probe NATO's reported air strike on Pakistan

Afghan to probe NATO's reported air strike on Pakistan
The Afghan government has announced to investigate the reported NATO's air strike on Pakistan which had left 24 security personnel dead and injured 13 others early Saturday, Afghan media reported Monday.

"We are aware of the strike and would jointly investigate it with the NATO officials," a local newspaper Daily Mandegar quoted Afghan foreign ministry spokesman Janan Musazai as saying on Saturday.

In the reported air raid, conducted Saturday morning, according to reports emanating from Pakistan, 24 security personnel had lost their lives and 13 others sustained injuries when helicopters of NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) targeted an outpost in Mohmand's tribal area along the border with Afghanistan.

Pakistan in a sharp reaction described the attack as a violation of international law and breach of its sovereignty, has given 15 days deadline to U.S. to vacate Shamsi airbase in southern Balouchistan province which has been using for launching drone attacks on Taliban militants in Pakistan's tribal areas along the border with Afghanistan over the past few years.

Afghan officials often allege that Taliban insurgents have been using Pakistan's tribal areas as their safe havens to attack Afghan and NATO-led troops in Afghanistan, a claim rejected by Pakistan as groundless.

Islamabad, according to Afghan media reports, has protested to the government of Afghanistan over the reported NATO-led ISAF helicopters attacks from Afghan soil.

In the protest, Islamabad also noted that the Afghan government should take necessary measures to ensure that such acts are not carried out from its soil against Pakistan.

Meantime, the NATO-led ISAF in a statement released Saturday said that it had initiated an investigation into the reported incident near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.

"The International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) is investigating an incident that occurred along the Afghanistan - Pakistan border," ISAF said in the statement.

"This incident has my highest personal attention and my commitment to thoroughly investigate it to determine the facts," General John R. Allen, the top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan, said in the statement.

"My most sincere and personal heartfelt condolences go out to the families and loved ones of any members of Pakistan Security Forces who may have been killed or injured," Allen said in the statement.

The ISAF leadership remains committed to improving security relations with Pakistan, including coordination of operations along the border regions in our united fight against terrorism, the statement added.

English.news.cn   2011-11-28 17:58:36 FeedbackPrintRSS
By Abdul Haleem

KABUL, Nov. 28 (Xinhua)