Raid by US troops in Pakistan kills 20 women & children

LankaTruth 05th Sep: 2008. 08.40 AM

At least 20 people, mostly women and children were killed when an attack by Afghanistan-based western troops led by US carried out a raid in a tribal area of Pakistan on Wednesday. The attack in South Waziristan was carried out by ground troops dropped off by helicopters at a village near the border town of Angoor Adda in the pre-dawn hours. Afghanistan based Isaf are led by the USA and includes NATO troops that consist of troops from Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, other European countries, Australia, New Zealand, Azerbaijan, Jordan, Turkey and Singapore.

News reports from the area said the attack lasted 30 minutes during which helicopter gunships and fighter jets provided cover to the ground troops. The troops reportedly targeted three houses using their assault rifles.

The Senate and the National Assembly in Pakistan yesterday condemned incursion into Pakistani terriroty by the Isaf forces and termed it a violation of Pakistan's sovereignty. In unanimous resolutions that were adopted by both the houses in their separate sessions, it was stated that the attack was unacceptable and demanded of the government to take practical measures to stop such incidents and repulse such attacks with full force in future.

Meanwhile, Pakistan's foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi summoned Anne Patterson, the US ambassador and "a very strong protest was conveyed to her."

(Pakistanis protest the incursion by US led troops)