NATO investigating Pakistan cross-border attack

KABUL: NATO said Thursday it was investigating claims by Pakistani security officials that three of their soldiers were killed in a cross-border attack by coalition helicopters based in Afghanistan.

"Early this morning, a coalition force observed what they believed was a group of insurgents attempting to fire mortars at a coalition base in the border area of Dand Patan district, Paktiya province," NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said in statement to media.

"A coalition air weapons team was called for fire support and engaged the insurgents," it said.

"The team reported they did not cross into Pakistan airspace and believed the insurgent location was on the Afghan side of the border."

After being informed by Pakistan military officials that their border forces had been hit, ISAF said it was working with the Pakistanis "to ascertain if the two events are linked".

"The matter remains under investigation," it said.

Pakistani security officials said the incident took place in Mandati Kandaw village northwest of Parachinar, the main town of Kurram district close to the Afghan border in Pakistan's semi-autonomous tribal belt.