Nato helicopters kill 'dozens of rebels' in Pakistan

[Rahul92]

Nato-led forces say they have killed more than 50 insurgents on Pakistani soil after a rare pursuit across the border from Afghanistan.

Two Apache helicopters from the International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) in Afghanistan are said to have taken part in the weekend's operation.

It followed an attack by insurgents on an Afghan security outpost in Khost.


Isaf said no civilians were killed in the operation, but this has not been independently confirmed.

The BBC's Ian Pannell in the Afghan capital, Kabul, says that although manned military raids over the border are not unprecedented, it will no doubt prove controversial in Pakistan.

In a statement, Isaf said Afghan forces in the eastern province of Khost were attacked on Friday by "a significant number of insurgents".

"An air team in the area observed the enemy fire, and following International Security Assistance Force rules of engagement, crossed into the area of enemy fire."

Isaf told the BBC its aircraft killed 49 insurgents.

On Saturday, two Apache helicopters came under small-arms fire from the same area and again crossed the border, killing four to six insurgents, said Isaf.

Pakistani media said fighters from the Haqqani network, a branch of the Afghan Taliban which operates in Pakistan, died in the Nato air raids.

An Isaf spokesman, Sgt Matt Summers, confirmed the helicopters had crossed into Pakistan.

But he did not reveal the location of the operation or say which Isaf countries' forces were involved.

American forces regularly use drone aircraft for missile strikes in Pakistan's tribal belt, but manned air raids across the border are rare.

Isaf's force was established by the UN in late 2001 with a stated mission of promoting security and development; it is also training Afghan soldiers and police.

 

[SHASH2K2]

NATO strikes in Pakistan prompt rebuke

 

[SHASH2K2]

Pressure on Pak to act against Haqqani network

Pressure is being mounted on Pakistan to "do more" against the Haqqani terrorist network in North Waziristan, and the aerial strikes by the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) in the tribal agency over the weekend and adjoining Khurram on Monday morning are perceived as part of the pressure tactics.

This month has seen the maximum number of drone attacks in the tribal belt of Pakistan along the Afghanistan border — rough estimates based on media reports places the number at 20. And, the number of U.S. air strikes in the region this year has already crossed the total for all of last year. As against 53 drone attacks in 2009, there have already been 74 such strikes this year, according to data collected by the Long War Journal.

The New York Times on Tuesday quoted the commander of the U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, David Patraeus, as wanting to turn up the heat on the safe terrorist havens in Pakistan's tribal belt.

While Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit refused to elaborate on what the government meant by the veiled threat that Islamabad would be "constrained to consider response options" if immediate corrective measures are not taken, media reports here suggest that this meant no further guarantee for NATO supply routes through the country.

Barring weapons — which are mostly flown in — much of the supplies and fuel for the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan is taken over land through Pakistan after they arrive by ship in Karachi.