Officials: NATO knew it fired at Pakistani soldiers
The Air Force’s Global Hawk drone (AKA unmanned aerial vehicles) makes aerospace history as the first to fly unrefueled 7,500 miles across the Pacific Ocean. Pakistan has denounced the CIA’s covert drone program in Pakistan after a deadly NATO strike against Pakistani troops deteriorated US-Pakistan relations.
NATO forces knew they were firing at Pakistani soldiers, officials told reporters in Washington.
The Pakistani officials, who investigated the incident by talking to survivors and local residents where the attack took place, said the NATO forces even apologized, according to the Associated Press.
Pakistan accused NATO helicopters and jet fighters of a friendly-fire incident in November that killed 24 of the country’s soldiers. US-Pakistani relations have deteriorated since the incident.
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Pakistani officials ordered the US to evacuate an air force base suspected of US drone activities since, and have closed two key supply routes leading to Afghanistan for over 20 days.
“The two-week long closure has stranded thousands of truckers and other workers at the border with oil and other essential commodities, and only modest security to protect them,” GlobalPost correspondent Aamir Latif reported.
Results of NATO’s official investigation into the incident are due next week.