Pakistan ‘begged Nato to end lethal air strikes’

The Nato air strikes that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers lasted almost two hours and continued after base commanders pleaded with coalition forces to stop, Pakistan’s military said yesterday.

The White House last night said President Barack Obama considered the deaths a “tragedy” and said the administration is determined to look into the circumstances of the air strikes.

Major General Athar Abbas said the Pakistani troops at two border posts had been the victims of unprovoked aggression. He said commanders had contacted Nato counterparts, asking that “they get this fire to cease, but somehow it continued”.

The Pakistan army has previously said its soldiers retaliated “with all weapons available” to the attack.

Afghan officials have said Afghan commandos and US special forces were on a mission on the Afghan side of the border and took incoming fire from the direction of the Pakistani posts. They responded with air strikes.