US fire from Afghanistan kills Pakistani nomads

Cross-border firing from Afghanistan hit the tent of a nomad family on the Pakistan side of the frontier, killing two women and injuring at least four children.

Four rockets or shells were apparently fired by the US military in fighting with suspected militants in Afghanistan’s eastern Khost province, and one hit the nomads’ tent at Bangi Dar, in Pakistan’s North Waziristan tribal area, the officials, an intelligence official and a local government administrator, said.

There was no immediate confirmation from the Pakistan government or military.

In Kabul, Lieutenant Mike Cody, a spokesman for the US military in Afghanistan, said a security post along the border in Khost was attacked from the Pakistani side at 4pm local time on Saturday, and the US military, coordinating with the Pakistani military, used artillery to return fire at the point of attack.

Lt Cody said there were no reports of casualties on either side.