ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — In the aftermath of an extraordinary U.S. military foray into Pakistan’s tribal area earlier this week, the U.S. faced stiff condemnation Thursday from Pakistani officials who argued that their government had been undermined by the apparently unilateral American action on Pakistan’s soil.
The day after a predawn raid in South Waziristan that Pakistani officials said killed at least 15 civilians, the country’s foreign minister summoned Ambassador Anne Patterson, the U.S. envoy to Islamabad, for an explanation of the operation, which Pakistani officials say was conducted without their leaders being consulted or warned.
Both houses of Pakistan’s parliament, which are scheduled to elect a new president Saturday, also passed unanimous resolutions condemning the attack. Members of the National Assembly from the tribal areas walked out in protest of the raid.
According to residents of the area, U.S. Special Operations Forces shot and killed members of a pro-government tribe that has driven out foreign militants in the past and has been fighting against the Teh rik-e-Taliban, the umbrella group for the Pakistani Taliban.
The White House, the Pentagon and State Department have refused to speak about the incident and would not even confirm the raid happened.
But a U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that U.S. troops conducted the mission. The official said the raid targeted militants suspected of carrying out attacks against U.S., NATO and Afghan forces across the Afghan border.
“People were very angry — it was almost like a revolt,” said Habibullah Khan, the civil administrator of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas. “If such things happen, how can we convince the people that, ‘Look, we are taking care of you. You support the government, and the government will take care of you.’ Who will believe that?”
