Pakistan protests border incursion by US troops

Military spokesman Major General Shaukat Sultan told AFP the intrusion involved "a few troops" who on Sunday entered some 300 meters into Pakistani territory in the Lwara Mandi area on the border with Afghanistan.

The spokesman said the US troops searched a few shops and a petrol station but turned back as soon as they were informed that they were in Pakistani territory.

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"Pakistan has lodged an official protest with the US authorities here," the spokesman said.

Pakistan has demanded an inquiry and has "also asked for its results to be communicated to us." The government had also asked that such incidents should not be repeated, he said.

"The US authorities have regretted and they have said an inquiry is already underway and they said it was an inadvertent crossing."

US authorities said the accidental border crossing had occurred amid an ongoing operation by their forces on the Afghan side of the border as they hunt for Taliban and Al-Qaeda militants.

Thousands of US-led coalition forces have been engaged in a new offensive since March 7 in an operation aimed at flushing out insurgent militant leaders including Osama bin Laden.