PhotoBlog - mohmand

Nov

2011

8:19am, EST

Pakistan releases first images of border posts attacked by NATO

Amid rising anger, Pakistan's military has released a set of images which it says show the remote border posts attacked by NATO helicopters and fighter jets on Saturday in an incident that has soured relations between Pakistan and the United States.

Inter Services Public Relations - Pakistan Defence Forces via AFP - Getty Images

An image released by Pakistan's Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Nov. 30 shows smoke rising apparently after a cross-border NATO air strike on Pakistani border posts on a mountain in the Mohmand tribal district on Nov. 26, 2011.

Inter Services Public Relations - Pakistan Defence Forces via AP

An image released by Pakistan's Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Nov. 30, 2011 shows a Pakistani army post reportedly targeted by NATO helicopters resulting in the deaths of 24 Pakistani soldiers.

Inter Services Public Relations - Pakistan Defence Forces via Reuters

A still image taken from an ISPR (Inter Services Public Relations) video released on Nov. 30, 2011 shows a white flag in a Pakistani army post after a NATO attack in the Pakistan-Afghanistan border area on Nov. 26.

Inter Services Public Relations - Pakistan Defence Forces via Reuters

A still image taken from an ISPR (Inter Services Public Relations) video released on Nov. 30, 2011 shows a destroyed Pakistani army post after a NATO attack.

Reuters reports:

A senior Pakistani army official has said a NATO cross-border air attack that killed 24 soldiers was a deliberate, blatant act of aggression, hardening Pakistan's stance on an incident that could hurt efforts to stabilize Afghanistan.

Major General Ishfaq Nadeem, director general of military operations, said NATO forces were alerted they were attacking Pakistani posts but helicopters kept firing.

"Detailed information of the posts was already with ISAF (International Security Assistance Force), including map references, and it was impossible that they did not know these to be our posts," Pakistani newspaper The News quoted Nadeem as saying at a briefing held at army headquarters on Tuesday.

The army released a video to the media showing what it said were the Pakistani border posts -- rough constructions of large stones, corrugated metal and canvas in isolated positions.

Filmed from a helicopter, it also showed foxholes and what appeared to be a mortar emplacement surrounded by rocks.

Nadeem was adamant NATO had been told it was attacking Pakistani positions. "They continued regardless, with impunity," The News quoted him as saying. Read the full story.