Two soldiers were wounded Tuesday in north-western Pakistan in the crossfire with NATO helicopters from Afghanistan, according to the Pakistani army has "strongly protested" against what it calls a "violation "of its airspace.
In Kabul, a Western officer acted under cover of anonymity, as helicopters, operating in Afghanistan had returned fire after being fired at from Pakistan.
Islamabad denounced the military frequently raids by international forces in the border tribal areas, the stronghold of Pakistani Taliban chief sanctuary in the world of Al Qaeda and Afghan Taliban rear base.
The incident occurred at dawn in the frontier tribal district of North Waziristan.
"Two helicopters violated Pakistani airspace (...) and our troops at a military post opened fire on them.In a firefight, two of our soldiers were injured, "says the Pakistani army in a statement.
"The Pakistani army has strongly protested" to the NATO force in Afghanistan (ISAF), concludes the text.
Earlier, without mention of Pakistani firing, military officials had assured him, on condition of anonymity, that "two helicopters had violated NATO airspace and bombed a military post, injuring two soldiers in the area Wacha Bibi ".
In Kabul, the NATO international force (Isaf) "has heard of a possible incident" at this point of the border. "We are investigating," he told AFP Lt. Col. John L.Dorrian, the public relations department of the force, composed by American soldiers for over two-thirds.
For his part, a Western military official in Kabul confirmed that both NATO aircraft that were operating on the Afghan side had responded to fire from Pakistan.
"Two helicopters were flying in the coverage area of a forward base" international forces "that was taken under fire by fire from the Pakistani side," he told AFP on condition of anonymity.
"One of the devices has also suffered under fire from across the border, but did not return fire immediately.He did when he was again under fire, "the source said.
This latest incident comes as relations between the U.S. and Pakistan, its key ally in its "war against terrorism, have deteriorated after a squad of U.S. Special Forces helicopter from Afghanistan, had eliminated Osama bin Laden in a villa in Abbottabad, a city garrison two hours drive north of Islamabad.
North Waziristan is the stronghold of Pakistani Taliban allied with al-Qaeda and the main rear base for Taliban's Haqqani network, the bete noire of American troops and the Afghan government.
The Pakistani military often accuse NATO of violating his space, or bombardment from Afghanistan, especially when its troops pursuing Taliban who attacked them. It has happened in the past that these shots, intentionally or not, reach positions of the Pakistani army.
