NATO forces reject reports of operations in Pakistan

Kabul, Sept. 4 : The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) rejected on Thursday recent media reports that the ISAF conducted operations in Pakistan.

Describing the reports as "completely false", an ISAF spokesman said in a statement: "The ISAF mission is to assist Afghanistan in providing a secure and stable environment to help Afghans rebuild their country and ISAF only operates in Afghanistan."

"ISAF has had a number of inquiries about its mission and area of operations, particularly regarding operations near or across the border with Pakistan," the statement added.

"Recent, reporting in the media that ISAF conducted operations in Pakistan are completely false and ISAF do not operate in Pakistan," it stressed.

ISAF sometimes may return fire near the Afghan-Pakistani border but only under approved rules of engagement of self defense.

"Such incidents are coordinated and reported to Pakistan authorities," it said, adding "at no time are ISAF authorized to enter or land in Pakistan."

Pakistan North West Frontier Province governor Owais Ahmed Ghani said in a statement on Wednesday that foreign troops from across the Afghan border had raided a Pakistani village killing over 20 people.

Ghani had then described the incident as "a direct assault" on the sovereignty of Pakistan.

ANI