ISLAMABAD - Pakistan’s army yesterday formally rejected a US assertion that American airstrikes that killed 24 Pakistani troops last year were justified as self-defense, a stance that could complicate efforts to repair the troubled but vital relationship between the two countries.
In a detailed report, the army said that Pakistani troops did not trigger the Nov. 26 incident at two posts along the Afghan border by firing at American and Afghan forces, as the United States has alleged. Pakistan’s army said its troops shot at suspected militants who were nowhere near coalition troops.
“Trying to affix partial responsibility of the incident on Pakistan is, therefore, unjustified and unacceptable,’’ said the report, which was issued in response to the US investigation that concluded at the end of December.
The United States expressed condolences for the deaths of the Pakistani soldiers but said American troops acted “with appropriate force’’ in self-defense because they thought they were being attacked by Taliban insurgents.
In Washington, State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said the United States stood by the US Central Command’s investigation of the altercation.
“We did offer to the Pakistani government, to the Pakistani military, that they could participate fully in our investigation and have their own people on our team. They declined to participate,’’ she said yesterday.
Pakistan responded to the deadly attack by closing its border crossings to supplies for NATO troops in Afghanistan. Pakistan also kicked the United States out of a base that was used to service American drones.