Response
A statement made by the Government of Pakistan said that "a strong protest by Foreign Office has been lodged with Government of United States," and "such acts of aggression do not serve the common cause of fighting terrorism and militancy in the area." On September 4, the Pakistani parliament passed a resolution condemning the raid and demanding increased American oversight and cooperation with Pakistani officials when conducting covert operations. Anne W. Patterson, the United States Ambassador to Pakistan, was called to the Pakistan Foreign Office, where a protest was lodged. In response to the raid, Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi told the National Assembly on Thursday, "There is no high-value target or known terrorist among the dead ... Only innocent civilians, including women and children, have been targeted."
In response to the raid, United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said, "I don't have anything for you on Pakistan, except to say that obviously we are working very closely with the civilian government there." Rice refused to comment on the possibility of civilian casualties. Reuters cited U.S. Pentagon officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, who confirmed that the raid was conducted by U.S. special operations forces.
The Chairman of the Pakistani Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (JCSC), Gen Tariq Majid, stated that "Pakistan reserves right to retaliate".
On Saturday, September 6, 2008, Pakistan blocked a fuel route supplying U.S. and other western forces operating in Afghanistan in response to the raid. "We have told them that we will take action and we have already taken action today. We have stopped the supply of oil and this will tell how serious we are," said Pakistani Defence Minister Ahmad Mukhtar.
Read more about this topic: Angoor Ada Raid
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