The raid has been condemned by the Pakistani military as 'completely unprovoked' [AFP]

The alleged attack came after Pakistani paramilitary troops in the Mohmand tribal area clashed with Afghan forces in an area fought over by the two countries, Pakistani officials said.
 
"The spokesman condemned this completely unprovoked and cowardly act on the FC [Frontier Corps] post and regretted the loss of precious lives of our soldiers," a Pakistani military statement said on Wednesday.
 
"A strong protest has been launched by the Pakistan army and we reserve the right to protect our citizens and soldiers against aggression."
 
The US and Afghan military have not yet responded to the allegations.

The Afghan army, backed by the US military, is understood to have entered the area in an attempt to secure the release of seven soldiers held by the Taliban in Pakistan.
 
But Pakistani officials said Afghan forces tried to capture parts of the Soran Dara area, which borders the Afghan province of Nangarhar and which Pakistan claims is its own territory.

'Spy plane' spotted

Damagh Khan Mohmand, a local tribesman who witnessed the outbreak of fighting late on Tuesday, said that the clashes lasted for four hours.

He said that Afghan and foreign forces traded fire with both Pakistani tribesmen and troops.

Afghan forces receive training and operational support from the US-led coalition [AFP]

Two aircraft then bombed several locations, hitting two Frontier Corps posts, Khan Mohmand said.

Pakistan's foreign office issued a statement condemning the "senseless use of air power" urging the US-led international force to hand over the  results of its investigation into the incident.
 
"The attack also tends to undermine the very basis of our co-operation with the coalition forces and warrants a serious rethink on their part of the consequences that could ensue from such rash acts," it said.

Border dispute

A series of missile attacks have been attributed to US-led forces in Afghanistan in recent months.

More than a dozen people were killed in one such incident in the tribal region of Bajaur in May.

There have been several disputes over the 2,500km Pakistan-Afghanistan border recently.
 
Both countries, whose governments are both allies of the US in its so-called "war on terror", have also argued over how to tackle fighters loyal to the Taliban.

Foreign forces within the Nato-led coalition and the government in Kabul have alleged that Pakistan is not being tough enough on the opposition fighters.

Pakistan's new government entered peace talks with Taliban loyalists shortly after allies of Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan's president, were beaten in recent elections.

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