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Pakistan protests to US over raid Pakistan fury over 'US assault'
(about 7 hours later)
Pakistan has summoned the US ambassador to protest at an alleged cross-border raid which officials say killed at least 15 villagers in the north-west. Pakistan has condemned an alleged raid by foreign troops based in Afghanistan which officials say killed at least 15 villagers in a north-west tribal area.
A number of civilians were reported killed in the raid, which Pakistan says was a violation of its sovereignty. The South Waziristan raid would be the first ever ground assault into Pakistan by foreign forces from Afghanistan.
Correspondents say the raid appears to have been the first ever ground assault by foreign forces based in Afghanistan. Pakistan says the raid was a violation of its sovereignty. On Thursday a US missile killed at least five people in nearby North Waziristan, officials say.
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 have said they have no reports of any troop incursion.
The BBC's Syed Shoaib Hasan in Islamabad says US aircraft have carried out air strikes in the region, but a ground assault would be unprecedented. But off the record, US military sources confirm that US commandoes carried out Wednesday's raid against a suspected al-Qaeda target - and say it could signal a tougher approach to cross-border militancy.
It is not clear who the target of any attack might have been. Thursday's attack occurred in the village of Mohammad Khel near Miranshah in North Waziristan, local officials said.
Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said Pakistan would not allow any foreign power to carry out attacks on its territory. A witness told Reuters news agency that a pilotless US drone had fired at least three missiles at a house where militants were hiding.
He was speaking hours after his motorcade was hit by sniper fire near the capital, Islamabad. Senior government officials say he was not in the car at the time. 'No high-value target'
'Act of aggression' Pakistani military and political officials say ground troops brought in by US-led coalition helicopters launched the attack in South Waziristan near the Afghan border early on Wednesday morning.
Pakistani military and political officials say ground troops brought in by US-led coalition helicopters launched the attack in the South Waziristan tribal area near the Afghan border early on Wednesday morning. It is not clear who the target might have been.
Locals say soldiers attacked with gunfire and bombs. Women and children were among those reported killed. Locals in the Musa Nikeh area say soldiers attacked with gunfire and bombs. Women and children were among those reported killed. Some officials say as many as 20 people died.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Sadiq said a "very strong protest" had been delivered to the ambassador, Anne Paterson. "There is no high-value target or known terrorist among the dead," Foreign Minister Shah Memood Qureshi told the National Assembly on Thursday.
"The ambassador said that she would convey it to her government," he said. "Only innocent civilians, including women and children, have been targeted."
He said the attack "constitutes a serious escalation in the series of actions" by Nato and US-led forces on Pakistani territory.
Late on Wednesday US Ambassador Anne Paterson was summoned to hear a "very strong protest" at the Foreign Ministry, spokesman Mohammad Sadiq said.
"The ambassador said that she would convey it to her government."
The army called the attack an act of aggression which undermined the fight against militancy.The army called the attack an act of aggression which undermined the fight against militancy.
North West Frontier Province (NWFP) Governor Owais Ahmed Ghani, who is in administrative charge of the tribal areas, called the attack "cowardly". Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said Pakistan will not allow any foreign power to carry out attacks on its territory.
"At least 20 innocent citizens of Pakistan, including women and children, were martyred," he said in a statement. He was speaking hours after his motorcade was hit by sniper fire near the capital, Islamabad, on Wednesday. Senior government officials say he was not in the car at the time.
Tensions
The BBC's Syed Shoaib Hasan in Islamabad says US aircraft have carried out air strikes in the region, but a ground assault would be unprecedented.
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.