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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Deadly 'foreign raid' in Pakistan | Deadly 'foreign raid' in Pakistan |
| (about 6 hours later) | |
| Foreign troops based in Afghanistan have attacked targets inside north-west Pakistan, killing at least 15 people, witnesses and officials say. | Foreign troops based in Afghanistan have attacked targets inside north-west Pakistan, killing at least 15 people, witnesses and officials say. |
| The governor of North West Frontier Province called it an "outrageous" assault on Pakistan's sovereignty. | The governor of North West Frontier Province called it an "outrageous" assault on Pakistan's sovereignty. |
| The attack is said to have involved helicopters in the tribal area of South Waziristan, close to the Afghan border. | The attack is said to have involved helicopters in the tribal area of South Waziristan, close to the Afghan border. |
| US-led and Nato forces said they had no reports of any such incursion. Border tensions have risen in recent weeks. | US-led and Nato forces said they had no reports of any such incursion. Border tensions have risen in recent weeks. |
| The BBC's Barbara Plett in Islamabad says the US occasionally launches air strikes against militant targets in Pakistan's border region, sometimes in co-ordination with the Pakistani army. | The BBC's Barbara Plett in Islamabad says the US occasionally launches air strikes against militant targets in Pakistan's border region, sometimes in co-ordination with the Pakistani army. |
| But a raid by ground troops would be rare. It is not clear who the target of any attack might have been. | But a raid by ground troops would be rare. It is not clear who the target of any attack might have been. |
| In other violence, Pakistani security forces killed up to 30 militants and injured dozens more in the Swat valley north-west of Islamabad, the military says. | |
| 'Cowardly' | 'Cowardly' |
| Locals say three helicopter gunships dropped international troops in the Musa Nikeh area of South Waziristan, located on the border with Afghanistan, early on Wednesday morning. | |
| They say the soldiers killed more than a dozen people with gunfire and bombs, including women and children. | They say the soldiers killed more than a dozen people with gunfire and bombs, including women and children. |
| "Troops came in helicopters and carried out action in three houses," Gul Nawaz, a shopkeeper, told Reuters news agency. | "Troops came in helicopters and carried out action in three houses," Gul Nawaz, a shopkeeper, told Reuters news agency. |
| Witnesses told the BBC Urdu service that troops entered the house of a local tribesman, opened fire and then lobbed a bomb in the house. | Witnesses told the BBC Urdu service that troops entered the house of a local tribesman, opened fire and then lobbed a bomb in the house. |
| They said at least nine bodies had been recovered from the debris. The witnesses said the family was not known for links with militants. | They said at least nine bodies had been recovered from the debris. The witnesses said the family was not known for links with militants. |
| North West Frontier Province (NWFP) Governor Owais Ahmed Ghani, who is in administrative charge of the tribal areas, put the death toll higher. | North West Frontier Province (NWFP) Governor Owais Ahmed Ghani, who is in administrative charge of the tribal areas, put the death toll higher. |
| A statement condemned what he called a "cowardly" attack by coalition commandos. | A statement condemned what he called a "cowardly" attack by coalition commandos. |
| "At least 20 innocent citizens of Pakistan, including women and children, were martyred," it said. | "At least 20 innocent citizens of Pakistan, including women and children, were martyred," it said. |
| "It is outrageous... This is a direct assault on the sovereignty of Pakistan." | "It is outrageous... This is a direct assault on the sovereignty of Pakistan." |
| Pakistan's army has confirmed an attack but says it is still investigating the details. | Pakistan's army has confirmed an attack but says it is still investigating the details. |
| Ramadan | Ramadan |
| There is mounting US pressure on Pakistan - a key ally in the "war on terror" - to crack down on militants, who use the border region to launch raids into Afghanistan. | There is mounting US pressure on Pakistan - a key ally in the "war on terror" - to crack down on militants, who use the border region to launch raids into Afghanistan. |
| The Afghan government and Nato say the border region is a haven for al-Qaeda and the Taleban. Pakistan says it is doing all it can to curb militancy. | The Afghan government and Nato say the border region is a haven for al-Qaeda and the Taleban. Pakistan says it is doing all it can to curb militancy. |
| On Monday, Pakistan's military suspended its operations against Taleban militants in the neighbouring Bajaur tribal area. | On Monday, Pakistan's military suspended its operations against Taleban militants in the neighbouring Bajaur tribal area. |
| The government said this suspension of fighting was to respect the fasting month of Ramadan. | The government said this suspension of fighting was to respect the fasting month of Ramadan. |
| Taleban spokesman Maulvi Omar welcomed the announcement, but he said militants would not lay down their arms. | Taleban spokesman Maulvi Omar welcomed the announcement, but he said militants would not lay down their arms. |