I posted yesterday on a missile attack (maybe up to four missiles) that hit Pakistan.  There also was some fighting which broke out on the ground in the region between Taliban and Afghan and NATO forces.  That was the impression yesterday.

Today there are now reports that give a totally different story.  By these accounts what happened is Pakistan forces challenged Afghan forces and initiated a fire fight between the two groups, which led to the air strikes:

Pakistan has condemned a “cowardly and unprovoked” Nato airstrike which killed 11 of its soldiers last night, threatening relations between the West and Islamabad.

Afghan and Western forces called in the deadly attack after clashing with Pakistani forces in the disputed border region between the two countries. 

…

“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,” the statement said.

…

According to senior Pakistan army sources, the incident began when its soldiers noticed that Nato forces and the Afghan National Army were constructing a military outpost on a mountaintop inside what Pakistan regards as its own territory.

“I am told the Afghan troops were actually building a kind of new outpost, were challenged by the Pakistan army and then the firing started,” said Zahid Hussein, Times correspondent in Islamabad.

Emphasis mine.  Why do I get the feeling this story is not completely accurate?  How many times have terrorists donned Pakistani uniforms and went on a rampage?  And I seriously doubt the well trained NATO forces allowed things to escalate out of control.  It seems much of this is based on the statements of the Times correspondent (probably a stringer and not an employee).   I am curious to see how this plays out, but I will note one thing – this story is a one-sided account rushed to print:

There has been no official confirmation from Afghan or Nato military spokespeople of exactly what happened in the far-flung border area known as Speena Sooka, or White Peak.

Moreover, there was Taliban action taking place in the area:

Reporting of the incident has been confused by the fact that, at the same moment, the Pakistani Taleban was launching an attack of its own in the same rugged, mountainous area. Some reports from the scene say that the Pakistani troops died in a general firefight as Afghan and Nato forces were repelling the Taleban insurgents.

A senior Pakistan officer said: “The militants launched a cross-border attack into Afghanistan. At least 10 of our soldiers were killed in a counter-offensive by forces in Afghanistan.”

Or was it Pakistani troops fighting along side the Taliban?

Damagh Khan Mohmand, a local tribesman who witnessed the fighting, said that it lasted for four hours, with Afghan and foreign forces trading fire with the Pakistani militants and with the Pakistan troops.

We may have another case of the media being duped by enemy propagandists.