Pak troops strike back
By Maqbool Malik July 12, 2008
ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Friday lodged a strong protest with NATO-led ISAF on a mortar attack at Angoor Adda sector in South Waziristan that left at least nine persons including six security personnel critically injured. Pakistan also retaliated.
An ISPR spokesman said that a strong protest had been lodged with Headquarters International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). He said that on the night falling between July 10 and 11, mortars were fired from Afghanistan side at Angoor Adda sector. Six of the mortar rounds fell close to Pakistani security post where troops retaliated with fire immediately.
Resultantly six Pakistani security forces personnel received injuries and a number of causalities were reported on the other side of the border.
Meanwhile, reports received from Waziristan said that a market and a Frontier Corps camp in the Angoor Adda came under attack from across the border.
The injured soldiers from Punjab Regiment were flown to a military hospital in Bannu. Media reports quoting local authorities in Wana, the headquarters of South Waziristan, said the checkpost was totally destroyed.
The local people said that over 10 mortar shells fired from Afghanistan landed in the areas of Angoor Adda, Baghar and Musi Neka. The shells exploded with big bangs and created panic among the people. Reports further said that US drones continued flying over the region causing more panic among the local residents.
Monitoring Desk adds: Talking to a private TV channel, ISPR spokesman Major Gen Athar Abbas said the incident took place late on Thursday night to which Pakistan Army jawans also retaliated. He said that several personnel of the allied forces are reported to have been killed and injured in the retaliation.
He, however, said he was not sure about exact figure of the casualties due to Pakistan Army's retaliation.
Staff Reporter from Peshawar adds: As per details, some alleged militants attacked the NATO troops in Machadad Kot area of Afghanistan. The NATO forces chased the alleged militants in retaliation while shelling up to Pak-Afghan border. Seven mortar shells landed in different places of Angoor Adda area.
The local tribesmen informed that most of the mortar shells landed in armed forces camps of Ziara Latta, Angoor Adda and Baghar.
Baghar Camp was also hit but no loss was reported. Baghar Camp was an important military base during Afghan war against the former Soviet Union. Similarly, two persons were also injured when a mortar shell hit Angoor Adda Bazaar. The two injured persons were identified as Khan Mohammad, a soldier of Khasadar force and Sultan, a shopkeeper.
A large number of residents of Angoor Adda, fearing more attacks by the NATO forces from Afghanistan, have now started leaving the area for safer places in Wana and other places.
Agencies add: At least 11 people, eight of them soldiers, were injured in South Waziristan after being hit by mortars fired from across the Afghan border, officials and witnesses said Friday.
Last month, 11 Pakistani troops were killed in an air strike by Afghanistan-based US forces.
Officials in Pakistan say the shells were fired by coalition troops operating in the Barmal area on the Afghan side of the border.
An official in South Waziristan province said that the injured had been airlifted to a hospital in Wana, the provincial headquarters.
Lately, US media quoting US officials has been predicting more strikes in the Pakistani territory in coming days.
There is increasing anger in Pakistan at US strikes on its territory which have killed more than 50 people this year.
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