Personal Loans

Washington, D.C., United States (AHN) – Responding to fierce Pakistani allegations over cross-border NATO strikes, the Pentagon on Tuesday admitted to a “communication breakdown” during the process. In a statement, the United States defense department said that coalition officers failed to contact their Pakistani counterparts about their chase until after the incursion.

On Monday, Pakistan vehemently denounced strikes by NATO helicopters, which apparently entered their airspace without permission. However, the ISAF argued that its troops had right to defend themselves.

“I don’t know that I’d call it a disagreement but there are certainly discussions under way between our forces and the Pakistanis about this particular incident,” Pentagon spokesman Col. Dave Lapan told reporters.

Lapan added that during the talks with the U.S. officials, they discussed what were the communication breakdowns, what happened, what was supposed to happen. He further said that the ISAF forces should have contacted Pakistani officers before or during the operation, if their troops had to cross the border.

Separately, Pakistan has confirmed that the American drone missile strikes killed Egyptian national Sheikh Fateh, believed to be a senior al-Qaeda leader, in North Waziristan on Saturday.

According to Pakistani security officials, Sheikh Fateh took charge of al-Qaeda’s operations in Afghanistan and Pakistan in May following the death of militant group’s No 3 leader Mustafa Abu al-Yazid. A missile attacked him, while he was moving on a vehicle with three others.

However, the U.S. officials have not yet confirmed his death. Separately, another missile attack reportedly killed for more militants in South Waziristan near the Afghan border.

View full post on Politics Stories