Article:
NATO helicopters based in Afghanistan carried out at least two airstrikes in Pakistan that killed more than 50 militants after the insurgents attacked a small Afghan security outpost near the border, officials said Monday. 
  
 NATO justified the strikes based on "the right of self-defense." Pakistan is sensitive about attacks on its territory, but U.S. officials have said they have an agreement that allows aircraft to cross a few miles into Pakistani airspace if they are in hot pursuit of a target. 
  
 The tribal area where the strikes took place is largely controlled by militants who regularly carry out attacks against NATO troops in Afghanistan. The U.S. rarely uses manned aircraft to carry out strikes in North Waziristan and instead relies on drone attacks that American officials refuse to acknowledge publicly. 
  
 The first strike took place Saturday after insurgents based in Pakistan attacked an Afghan outpost in Khost province, which is located right across the border from Pakistan's North Waziristan tribal area, said U.S. Capt. Ryan Donald, a spokesman for the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan. 
  
 "The ISAF helicopters did cross into Pakistan territory to engage the insurgents," said Donald. "ISAF maintains the right to self-defense, and that's why they crossed the Pakistan border." 
  
 The strike killed 49 militants, said U.S. Maj. Michael Johnson, another ISAF spokesman. 
  
 'Operating in self-defense' 
  
 The second attack occurred when helicopters returned to the border area and were attacked by insurgents based in Pakistan, Donald said. 
  
 "The helicopters returned to the scene and they received direct small arms fire and, once again operating in self-defense, they engaged the insurgents," Donald said. 
  
 The strike killed at least four militants, Johnson said. 
  
 Citing ISAF, the BBC reported that no civilians were killed in the operation, but added that this had not been independently confirmed. 
  
 The drone flights have caused resentment in overwhelmingly Muslim Pakistan, where anti-American feeling runs high. 
  
 U.S. officials say the pilotless drones are one of the most effective weapons against militants. The strikes have killed senior Taliban and al-Qaida figures. 
  
 A new book by veteran U.S. journalist Bob Woodward claims that the Central Intelligence Agency also has a 3,000-man "covert army" of elite, well-trained Afghans, who conduct secret operations in Pakistan, according to the Washington Post. 
  
 Meanwhile, Pakistani intelligence officials said two NATO helicopters carried out a third strike inside Pakistani territory on Monday morning, killing five militants and wounding nine others. 
  
 The strike occurred in the village of Mata Sanger in the Kurram tribal area, which is directly across the border from the Afghan provinces of Paktia and Nangarhar, said the officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media. 
  
 Donald, the NATO spokesman, said officials were still investigating and could not confirm or deny reports of the attack in Kurram. 
  
 The Pakistani military could not be reached to comment on the NATO attacks. ||||| (CNN) -- NATO helicopters crossed into Pakistani airspace from Afghanistan in pursuit of insurgents over the weekend, killing 49 people, a spokesman told CNN Monday. 
  
 Crossing the border did not violate the International Security Assistance Force rules of engagement, Maj. Michael Johnson said. 
  
 Pakistan is very sensitive about United States-led military operations on its territory and issued a strong protest Monday. 
  
 Pakistan called the incursions "a clear violation and breach" of the United Nations rules for foreign forces in Afghanistan. 
  
 The United Nations "mandate terminates/finishes at the Afghanistan border. There are no agreed hot pursuit rules," Pakistan's Foreign Ministry said in a statement. 
  
 ISAF spokesperson Maj. Sunset Belinsky confirmed later Monday that U.S. helicopters were involved in at least three border incidents over the weekend. 
  
 According to Belinsky, the first one on Saturday was "self-defense," with Apache helicopters pursuing insurgents across the border about a kilometer (about a half a mile) into Pakistani territory and opening fire. 
  
 Belinsky said the NATO forces communicated with the Pakistani military after the incident, in which the insurgents had opened fire on the helicopters and then crossed the border into Pakistan. 
  
 After that, a second NATO weapons team went to assess what happened in the first incident and came under fire from the Pakistani side of the border, Belinsky said. The second team returned fire, she said, adding it was unclear if the second team actually entered Pakistani air space. 
  
 Earlier, Johnson could not say whether the insurgents were killed in Afghanistan or Pakistan, or even whether the NATO helicopters fired their weapons in Pakistani territory. 
  
 The U.S. helicopeters were responding to an insurgent attack on a remote Afghan National Security Force outpost in Khost province on Friday, ISAF said in a statement. 
  
 "An air weapons team in the area observed the enemy fire, and following International Security Assistance Force rules of engagement, crossed into the area of enemy fire," the statement said. 
  
 Johnson, the ISAF spokesman, could not say how often NATO forces crossed into Pakistani airspace -- but said it had happened again Monday morning. 
  
 NATO is still getting the details on that incident, which he called "much smaller." 
  
 CNN's Richard Allen Greene, Fred Pleitgen and Nicola Hughes contributed to this report. |||||Summary:
– NATO helicopters crossed from Afghanistan into Pakistan at least twice over the weekend, and again this morning, in pursuit of Taliban insurgents, CNN reports. At least 49 people were killed in the attacks Friday and Saturday. NATO initially denied those attacks, according to the New York Times, but now confirms them. NATO says the attacks conform with international rules of engagement, justifying them under the “right of self-defense” according to MSNBC. The attacks were unusual because they were carried out by piloted helicopters rather than unmanned drones. Pakistan is extremely sensitive about US-led operations in its territory. But hey, when you're already doing this, what's a couple of airstrikes?
Artikel: Nato-helikoptrar baserade i Afghanistan utförde minst två flyganfall i Pakistan som dödade mer än 50 militanter efter att upprorsmännen attackerat en liten afghansk säkerhetsutpost nära gränsen, sade tjänstemän måndag. Nato rättfärdigade strejkerna baserade på "självförsvarsrätten". Pakistan är känsligt för attacker på dess territorium, men amerikanska tjänstemän har sagt att de har ett avtal som gör det möjligt för flygplan att passera några mil in i Pakistans luftrum om de är i het jakt på ett mål. Stamområdet där strejkerna ägde rum kontrolleras till stor del av militanter som regelbundet genomför attacker mot Nato-trupper i Afghanistan. USA använder sällan bemannade flygplan för att genomföra strejker i North Waziristan och förlitar sig istället på drönarattacker som amerikanska tjänstemän vägrar att erkänna offentligt. Den första strejken ägde rum lördag efter upprorsmän baserade i Pakistan attackerade en afghansk utpost i Khost-provinsen, som ligger precis över gränsen från Pakistans norra Waziristan stamområde, sade U.S. Capt. Ryan Donald, talesman för den Natoledda internationella säkerhetsstyrkan i Afghanistan. "Isaf-helikoptrarna korsade in i Pakistans territorium för att anfalla rebellerna", sade Donald. "ISAF vidhåller rätten till självförsvar, och det är därför de korsade gränsen till Pakistan." Strejken dödade 49 militanter, sade USA:s maj Michael Johnson, en annan ISAF-talesman. "Operera i självförsvar" Den andra attacken inträffade när helikoptrar återvände till gränsområdet och attackerades av rebeller baserade i Pakistan, Donald sade. "Helikoptrarna återvände till platsen och de fick direkt eld mot handeldvapen och än en gång i självförsvar engagerade de upprorsmännen", sade Donald. Strejken dödade minst fyra militanter, sa Johnson. Citing ISAF rapporterade BBC att inga civila dödats i operationen, men tillade att detta inte hade bekräftats självständigt. Drönarflygningarna har orsakat förbittring i överväldigande muslimska Pakistan, där antiamerikanska känslor går högt. Amerikanska tjänstemän säger att de pilotlösa drönarna är ett av de mest effektiva vapnen mot militanter. Strejkerna har dödat högt uppsatta talibaner och al-Qaida-personer. En ny bok av veteranen USA-journalisten Bob Woodward hävdar att Central Intelligence Agency också har en 3 000 man "upptäckt armé" av elit, välutbildade afghaner, som bedriver hemliga operationer i Pakistan, enligt Washington Post. Under tiden, Pakistansk underrättelsetjänst tjänstemän sade två Nato helikoptrar genomförde en tredje strejk inne pakistanska territorium på måndag morgon, döda fem militanter och såra nio andra. Strejken inträffade i byn Mata Sanger i Kurram stamområdet, som ligger direkt över gränsen från de afghanska provinserna Paktia och Nangarhar, sade tjänstemännen, talar på villkor av anonymitet eftersom de inte var bemyndigade att tala med media. Donald, Natos talesman, sade att tjänstemän fortfarande undersökte och inte kunde bekräfta eller förneka rapporter om attacken i Kurram. Den pakistanska militären kunde inte nås för att kommentera Natoattackerna. Nato-helikoptrar korsade in i Pakistans luftrum från Afghanistan för att jaga rebeller under helgen, döda 49 personer, berättade en talesman för CNN måndag. Att korsa gränsen bröt inte mot Internationella säkerhetsstyrkans regler för förlovning, sa Michael Johnson. Pakistan är mycket känsligt för USA-ledda militära operationer på sitt territorium och utfärdade en stark protest måndag. Pakistan kallade anfallen "en klar kränkning och överträdelse" av FN:s regler för utländska styrkor i Afghanistan. FN:s "mandat upphör/avslutas vid gränsen mot Afghanistan. Det finns inga överenskomna heta jaktregler," Pakistans utrikesministerium sade i ett uttalande. ISAF:s talesperson Maj. Sunset Belinsky bekräftade senare måndagen att amerikanska helikoptrar var inblandade i minst tre gränsincidenter under helgen. Enligt Belinsky var den första på lördagen "självförsvar", med Apache-helikoptrar som förföljde upprorsmän över gränsen cirka en kilometer (ungefär en halv mil) in i pakistanskt territorium och öppnade eld. Belinsky sade att Natostyrkorna kommunicerade med den pakistanska militären efter incidenten, i vilken upprorsmännen hade öppnat eld mot helikoptrarna och sedan korsat gränsen in i Pakistan. Efter det gick ett andra NATO-vapenteam för att bedöma vad som hände i den första incidenten och kom under beskjutning från den pakistanska sidan av gränsen, sade Belinsky. Det andra laget besvarade elden, sade hon, och tillade att det var oklart om det andra laget faktiskt gick in i Pakistans luftrum. Tidigare kunde Johnson inte säga om upprorsmännen dödades i Afghanistan eller Pakistan, eller ens om Nato-helikoptrarna avfyrade sina vapen på pakistanskt territorium. De amerikanska helikopterskepparna svarade på en upprorsattack mot en avlägsen Afghansk nationell säkerhetsstyrkas utpost i Khostprovinsen på fredagen, sade ISAF i ett uttalande. "Ett flygvapenteam i området observerade fiendens eld, och efter Internationella säkerhetsstyrkans regler för insats, korsade in i området för fiendens eld", sade uttalandet. Johnson, ISAF:s talesman, kunde inte säga hur ofta Natostyrkor korsade in i pakistanskt luftrum -- men sade att det hade hänt igen måndag morgon. NATO får fortfarande information om den händelsen, som han kallade "mycket mindre". CNN:s Richard Allen Greene, Fred Pleitgen och Nicola Hughes bidrog till denna rapport. ••••••••••••••••••••••
Article: NATO helicopters based in Afghanistan carried out at least two air strikes in Pakistan that killed more than 50 militants after the insurgents attacked a small Afghan security outpost near the border, officials said Monday. NATO justified the strikes based on the "right of self-defense". Pakistan is sensitive to attacks on its territory, but US officials have said they have an agreement that allows aircraft to pass a few miles into Pakistan's airspace if they are in hot pursuit of a target. The tribal area where the strikes took place is largely controlled by militants who regularly carry out attacks on NATO troops in Afghanistan. The United States rarely uses manned aircraft to carry out strikes in North Waziristan and instead relies on drone attacks that U.S. officials refuse to admit publicly. The first strike took place Saturday after insurgents based in Pakistan attacked an Afghan outpost in Khost province, which is just across the border from Pakistan's northern Waziristan tribal area, U.S. Capt said. Ryan Donald, spokesman for the NATO-led International Security Force in Afghanistan. "The ISAF helicopters crossed into Pakistan's territory to attack the rebels," Donald said. "ISAF upholds right to self-defense, and that's why they crossed the border with Pakistan." The strike killed 49 militants, said United States May Michael Johnson, another ISAF spokesman. "Operating in self-defense" The second attack occurred when helicopters returned to the border area and were attacked by rebels based in Pakistan, Donald said. "The Helicopters returned to the scene and they received direct fire on small arms and once again in self-defense engaged the insurgents," Donald said. The strike killed at least four militants, Johnson said. Citing ISAF reported the BBC that no civilians were killed in the operation, but added that this had not been independently confirmed. The drone flights have caused resentment in overwhelming Muslim Pakistan, where anti-American sentiment goes high. U.S. officials say the pilotless drones are one of the most effective weapons against militants. The strikes have killed high-ranking Taliban and Al-Qaeda people. A new book by veteran U.S. journalist Bob Woodward claims that the Central Intelligence Agency also has a 3,000 man "discovered army" of elite, well-educated Afghans, who conduct secret operations in Pakistan, according to the Washington Post. Meanwhile, Pakistani intelligence officials said two NATO helicopters conducted a third strike inside Pakistani territory on Monday morning, killing five militants and wounding nine others. The strike occurred in the village of Mata Sanger in the Kurram tribal area, which is directly across the border from the Afghan provinces of Paktia and Nangarhar, officials said, speaking on terms of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media. Donald, NATO spokesman, said officials were still investigating and were unable to confirm or deny reports of the attack in Kurram. The Pakistani military could not be reached to comment on the NATO attacks. NATO helicopters crossed into Pakistan airspace from Afghanistan to chase rebels over the weekend, killing 49 people, told a spokesman to CNN Monday. Crossing the border did not violate International Security Force rules of engagement, said Michael Johnson. Pakistan is very sensitive to US-led military operations on its territory and issued a strong protest Monday. Pakistan called the attacks "a clear violation and violation" of UN rules on foreign forces in Afghanistan. The UN's "mandate ends/ending at the Afghanistan border. There are no agreed hot hunting rules," Pakistan's Foreign Ministry said in a statement. ISAF spokesperson May. Sunset Belinsky later confirmed Monday that American helicopters were involved in at least three border incidents over the weekend. According to Belinsky, the first on Saturday was "self-defense", with Apache helicopters pursuing insurgents across the border about one kilometer (about half a mile) into Pakistani territory and opening fire. Belinsky said the NATO forces communicated with the Pakistani military after the incident, in which the insurgents had opened fire on the helicopters and then crossed the border into Pakistan. After that, a second NATO weapons team went to assess what happened in the first incident and came under fire from the Pakistani side of the border, Belinsky said. The second team returned fire, she said, adding that it was unclear whether the second team actually entered Pakistan airspace. In the past, Johnson could not say whether the insurgents were killed in Afghanistan or Pakistan, or even if the NATO helicopters fired their weapons on Pakistani territory. The U.S. helicopter ships responded to an insurgent attack on the outpost of a remote Afghan National Security Force in Khost Province on Friday, ISAF said in a statement. "An air force team in the area observed enemy fire, and following International Security Force rules of action, crossed into the area of enemy fire," said the statement. Johnson, the ISAF spokesman, could not say how often NATO forces crossed into Pakistani airspace -- but said it had happened again Monday morning. NATO still receives information about that incident, which he called "much less". CNN's Richard Allen Greene, Fred Pleitgen and Nicola Hughes contributed to this report. <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk>
– Nato-helikoptrar korsade från Afghanistan till Pakistan minst två gånger under helgen, och återigen i morse, i jakten på talibanernas upprorsmän, rapporterar CNN. Minst 49 personer dödades i attackerna fredag och lördag. Nato förnekade inledningsvis dessa attacker, enligt New York Times, men bekräftar dem nu. NATO säger att attackerna överensstämmer med internationella insatsregler och rättfärdigar dem under ”självförsvarsrätten” enligt MSNBC. Attackerna var ovanliga eftersom de utfördes av pilotade helikoptrar snarare än obemannade drönare. Pakistan är ytterst känsligt för USA-ledda operationer på sitt territorium. Men när du redan gör det här, vad är då ett par luftanfall?
– NATO helicopters crossed from Afghanistan to Pakistan at least twice over the weekend, and again this morning, in pursuit of Taliban insurgents, CNN reports. At least 49 people were killed in the attacks Friday and Saturday. NATO initially denied these attacks, according to the New York Times, but now confirms them. NATO says the attacks comply with international rules of engagement and justify them under the ‘self-defense’ right according to MSNBC. The attacks were unusual because they were carried out by piloted helicopters rather than unmanned drones. Pakistan is extremely sensitive to U.S.-led operations on its territory. But when you're already doing this, what are a couple of air strikes?