Pak protests against killing of 24 soldiers to Afghanistan

Pakistan today protested to the Afghanistan government over the air strike launched by NATO aircraft from Afghan soil that killed at least 24 Pakistani soldiers, saying the incident marked a violation of the mandate of foreign forces in the neighbouring country.

"The protest underscores that the use of Afghan territory against Pakistan by NATO/ISAF is also a violation of ISAF's mandate for operations in Afghanistan," said a statement issued by the Foreign Office.

Pakistan had asked the Afghan government to "take necessary measures to ensure that such acts are not carried out from its territory against Pakistan," the statement said.

NATO and International Security Assistance Force helicopters and combat aircraft attacked two Pakistani military border posts in the Mohmand tribal region yesterday.

The Pakistan Army put the death toll in the air strike at 24 though officials were quoted by the media as saying that 28 soldiers were killed.

An emergency meeting of Pakistan's civil and military decided to retaliate against the air strike by closing all NATO supply lines.

The leadership also asked the US to vacate the Shamsi airbase, believed to be the main base for CIA-operated drones, in 15 days.

Pakistan has complained to Afghanistan several times in recent months about cross-border raids by Taliban fighters based on Afghan soil.