NATO intrudes into Pakistan; kills 3 soldiers

NATO helicopters shelled a Pakistani outpost in the tribal belt bordering Afghanistan today, killing three Pakistani soldiers in an incident that could become a fresh irritant in the campaign against terrorism and extremism.

A Pakistani military spokesperson said two helicopters from Afghanistan "appeared to have crossed the border into Pakistan at Mandata Kandaho" area of Kurram tribal region at 5.25am and engaged an outpost of the Frontier Corps with cannon fire.

The post targeted by the helicopters was located 200 metres inside Pakistan and manned by six soldiers.

The Frontier Corps troops fired with rifles to "indicate" that the helicopters were crossing into Pakistani territory, the spokesperson said.

"Instead of heeding the warning, the helicopters (fired) two missiles, destroying the post. As a result, three Frontier Corps soldiers (were killed) and three have been injured," he said.

This was the fourth NATO air strike on Pakistani territory in a week.

On September 26 and 27, NATO helicopters shelled Pakistani areas and officials claimed over 50 militants were killed in the air strikes.

A NATO spokesperson in Afghanistan justified the rare air strikes in Pakistani territory as being based on "the right of self-defence".

President Asif Ali Zardari and prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani conveyed their concern over increasing drone attacks and violation of the country’s airspace by NATO and ISAF aircraft during separate meetings with visiting CIA chief Leon Panetta.

The Pakistani leaders said the country’s partners in the war on terror should respect its territorial sovereignty.

Gilani emphasised the importance of intelligence-sharing so that Pakistan’s troops could take action against possible threats in the border areas.

Zardari said Pakistan "strongly disapproves any incident of violation of its sovereignty".

Any violation of internationally agreed principles is counter-productive and unacceptable, he told Panetta.

Panetta, who also met Inter-Services Intelligence agency chief Lt Gen Ahmed Shuja Pasha and army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, is in the country amidst growing concerns about a global terror plot traced back to Pakistan.