US troops enter Pakistan for the second time Sunday, May 9 2004 18:12 Hrs (IST)
Islamabad:
For the second time in a week, coalition troops headed by US Marines entered into Pakistan from Afghanistan while probing a shooting incident on their side, officials said.
The US soldiers entered the Pakistani territory of North Waziristan region on Friday evening and remained in the area for about 45 minutes, officials and witnesses were quoted as saying by media reports.
However, Pakistan Defence Spokesman Maj Gen Shaukat Sultan said the US soldiers committed no border violation as they came to lodge a complaint with Pakistan's Frontier Corps about firing from miscreants.
"They approached the nearby checkpoint of the Frontier Corps and lodged a complaint that some armed men from the Pakistani side opened fire," he was quoted as saying by local daily 'Dawn' today (May 9, 2004).
Gen Sultan said the coalition forces went back to Afghanistan after the border security forces explained the position.
Pakistan had earlier lodged a protest with the US after a previous incursion by US forces operating in the Eastern Afghanistan's Khost province.