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US apologizes for attack on Pakistani soldiers
[Dawn] The US apologized Wednesday for a recent helizap that waxed two Pak soldiers at an outpost near the Afghan border, saying American pilots mistook the soldiers for bully boyz they were pursuing.The apology, which came after the conclusion of a joint investigation, could pave the way for Pakistain to reopen a key border crossing that Nato uses to ship goods into landlocked Afghanistan. Pakistain closed the crossing in apparent reaction to the Sept. 30 incident. ''We extend our deepest apology to Pakistain and the families of the Frontier Scouts who were killed and injured,'' said the US ambassador to Pakistain, Anne Patterson. Pakistain initially reported that three soldiers were killed and three injured in the attack, but one of the soldiers who was critically injured and initially reported dead ended up surviving, said Maj. Fazlur Rehman, the front man for the Frontier Corps. Pak soldiers fired at the two US helicopters prior to the attack, a move the investigation team said was likely meant to notify the aircraft of their presence after they passed into Pak airspace several times. ''We believe the Pak border guard was simply firing warning shots after hearing the nearby engagement and hearing the helicopters flying nearby,'' said US Air Force Brig. Gen. Tim Zadalis, who led the investigation. ''This tragic event could have been avoided with better coalition force coordination with the Pakistain military.'' The head of US and Nato forces in Afghanistan, Gen. David Petraeus, also expressed his condolences ''to the families of those killed and maimed, to the Pakistain military, and the people of Pakistain.'' ''We deeply regret this tragic loss of life and will continue to work with the Pakistain military and government to ensure this doesn't happen again,'' he said. Posted by: Fred 2010-10-07 |
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