>>> relationship between the u.s. and its wartime ally, pakistan , has been further stretched toward the breaking point after a nato air an attack killed 24 pakistani soldiers. it happened this morning in a pair of border outpost-s. details remain murky. notably washington has not directly accepted blame. tonight pakistani officials are calling the incident a grave infringement of the country's sovereignty and have moved to cut off critical support to the neighboring war effort in neighboring afghanistan .
>> reporter: good evening, lester. today's attack was not only a tremendous loss for pakistan 's military, it was perhaps the most damaging incident for u.s.-pakistani relations in years. pakistan responded quickly today, closing its two border crossings into afghanistan , cutting off the main supply routes for u.s. and nato forces within hours of the nato attack. nato aircrafts were apparently responding to enemy fire from a volatile and sometimes undefined border.
>> support was called in in the development of a tactical situation. it is what highly likely caused pakistani casualties.
>> reporter: at least two pakistani troops were killed in a military post at the border. pakistan 's government called the attack, unprovoked, indiscriminate and intolerable
>> translator: today at 2:00 in the morning there was an attack on pakistan . an attack on pakistan 's solidarity and independence.
>> reporter: in addition to closing the border crossings , the government ordered the united states to vacate an air base in northern pakistan that reportedly uses to launch cia drone operations. even before today 's attack, there were deep strains in u.s.-pakistani relations. in may, when u.s. forces crossed into pakistan and killed osama bin laden , the government was furious because it had not been told of the operation. last year, pakistan closed one of its border crossings for about ten days. when u.s. helicopters accidentally killed two pakistani soldiers, the u.s. then apologized. today's incident comes just one day after marine general john allen , the commander of nato forces in afghanistan , met with the head of pakistan 's army to improve coordination among u.s.-afghan and pakistani forces .
>> we look at it from a strategic standpoint. why can't we identify pakistanis across the border and not bomb them? but for the guy on the ground if somebody's trying to kill you, you're going to try to kill him back.
>> reporter: and recent months afghan officials have also asked for better coordination among the forces along the border because of pakistani rockets being fired into afghanistan killing civilians. pakistan claims that they were fired at insurgents and not civilians. lester?
Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nightly-news/45445863/
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