NATO’s Rasmussen Says Killing Of Pakistani Soldiers ‘Tragic Incident’
By KUNA
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen Sunday said that he has written to the Prime Minister of Pakistan Yousuf Raza Gilani to make it clear that the deaths of Pakistani personnel “are as unacceptable and deplorable as the deaths of Afghan and international personnel.
“This was a tragic unintended incident. I fully support the ISAF investigation, which is currently underway. We will determine what happened, and draw the right lessons,” he said in a statement.
He offered his condolences and sympathy to the families of the Pakistani officers and soldiers who lost their lives or were injured, and to the government and people of Pakistan, “following the regrettable incident along the Afghan-Pakistani border.”
Rasmussen stressed that NATO remains strongly committed to work with Pakistan to improve cooperation to avoid such tragedies in the future.
“We have a joint interest in the fight against cross-border terrorism and in ensuring that Afghanistan does not once again become a safe haven for terrorists. NATO and Pakistan share a common goal: a stable Afghanistan in a peaceful region,” he added.
A NATO airstrike at a Pakistani checkpoint inside Pakistan Saturday reportedly killed at least 24 Pakistani soldiers
