Pakistan disputed NATOs claim today that its forces have the right of hot pursuit across the Afghan border after coalition helicopters launched airstrikes that killed more than 50 militants who had escaped into Pakistan following an attack on an Afghan security post.
Pakistan said it had strongly protested to NATO over the airstrikes, which a coalition spokesman justified on grounds of "self-defense." Pakistan is sensitive about attacks on its territory, but U.S. officials have said they have the right to cross a few miles (kilometers) into Pakistani airspace if they are attacked and in hot pursuit of a target. Pakistan denied today such an understanding exists.
Its Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a press release the mandate of foreign troops in Afghanistan ends at the Afghan border and said the strikes were a violation of its sovereignty. Pakistan said that unless corrective measures are implemented, it will have to "consider response options."
NATO reported it launched two airstrikes on Saturday, and Pakistani intelligence officials reported a third attack on Monday — all in tribal regions located opposite an increasingly volatile eastern region of Afghanistan. It was not clear which militant group was targeted, but the al-Qaida-linked Haqqani faction, which launches frequent attacks on NATO and Afghan forces, is particularly active there.