Firing from Pak side prompted NATO attack

Pakistans political leaders and military,still facing domestic criticism following the US raid that killed Osama bin Laden in May,have reacted with unprecedented anger to the deaths. They closed the countrys Western border to trucks delivering supplies to coalition troops in Afghanistan.

The Afghan officials,who spoke on condition of anonymity,said its unclear who attacked the forces taking part in the joint operation before dawn Saturday,but that the soldiers were fired upon from the direction of the Pakistani border posts that were hit in the strikes. All airstrikes are approved at a higher command level than the troops on the ground.

A year ago,a US helicopter attack killed two Pakistani soldiers posted on the border. In retaliation,Islamabad closed one of the two border crossing for US supplies for 10 days.

On Sunday,around 300 trucks carrying supplies to US-led forces in Afghanistan were backed up at the Torkham border crossing in the northwest Khyber tribal area as well as Chaman in Baluchistan province. Militants took advantage last year when the trucks were waiting for days to enter Afghanistan,torching 150.