Scholarships

Washington, D.C., United States (AHN) – The U.S. Central Command launched another investigation into an apparent attack by NATO helicopters on a border checkpoint that Pakistani officials are claiming killed dozens of soldiers.

Announcing the investigation into the incident near the Salala Checkpoint, Khas Kunar Province, Afghanistan, in the vicinity of the Pakistan border on Nov. 25, the commander of U.S. Central Command, Gen. James N. Mattis, appointed Brig. Gen. Stephen Clark from Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command at Hurlburt Field, Fla., as the Investigating Officer.

Directing the investigating officer to provide an initial report by December 23, 2011, General Mattis noted the investigation would be “CENTCOM-led with the support, cooperation and involvement of a NATO element on the investigation team.”

The investigating team would also include “input and participation from the International Security Assistance Force,” in addition to the representation from “the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the Government of Pakistan.”

Earlier in the day, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little acknowledged the investigation by the International Security Assistance Force saying, “ISAF did as you would expect — assign an initial assessment team to look into the incident.”

Little, added about the CENTCOM review saying, “I think you can expect the investigation to look at the full range of factors that contributed to this tragedy and it will be broad, expansive and thorough.”

Little confirmed that Defense Secretary Leon Panetta had not yet directly contacted any Pakistani official but reassured, “The secretary has been monitoring these events very closely with military leadership in Afghanistan and here in the United States.”

“The Pakistani government knows our position,” Little said, “and that is that we do regret the loss of life in this incident and we are investigating it.”

On the fallout on the ongoing cooperation for war on terror, Jay Carney, the White House spokesman said, “There are challenges to this relationship, and we’ve discussed them here this year. This is obviously a significant issue that we take seriously, and that’s why we, through CENTCOM, will be investigating to find out exactly what happened.”

Expressing condolences for the “families of those who lost their lives, and to the Pakistani people overall, for this tragedy,” Carney said, “We continue to believe that it will be in not just the United States’ interest, but Pakistan’s interest, to work with us cooperatively on our shared goals.”

“Don’t forget that Pakistan and the Pakistani people have been primary victims of terrorism and terrorists, and that we work with them and that cooperative relationship has borne fruit for the United States and for our national security interests,” Carney stressed.

Over the weekend, the Pakistan army in a statement claimed 24 people were killed and 13 were injured. Islamabad immediately closed the NATO supply routes into Afghanistan.

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