Pakistan 'protests' at US strike

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Pakistan's army says it has protested over a missile attack in its tribal areas that was carried out by the US.

The attack, which the army says killed at least 14 people, targeted the home of a pro-Taleban militant leader.

Pakistan is trying to negotiate a peace deal with militants near the Afghan border following a failed military campaign in the region.

US officials and Nato say the tribal areas have become "safe havens" for al-Qaeda and the Taleban.

'Protest'

"The investigations show the attack was carried out by a US pilotless drone," Gen Athar Abbas, spokesman for the Pakistan army, told the BBC.

"The US did not take permission or inform us before carrying out the strike."

He added: "We have protested to the US authorities in the strongest possible manner."

Earlier, Pakistani authorities had said they had no knowledge about Wednesday's strike.

The comments from Gen Abbas come a day after Pakistani Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani called the attacks "wrong and unfair".

"Many innocent people have been killed and we condemn it," he said in a TV interview.

The attack came on the same day as a prisoner exchange between the Pakistan army and pro-Taleban militants.

The swap is part of a developing peace deal, which is causing concern in the US.

A Pentagon spokesman said on Thursday that any deal with the militants "should be worth more than the paper it is written on".