On Monday, however, an ISAF statement confirmed the attacks, and put the death toll at more than 30. Initially, a base close to the border in Khost Province, known as Combat Outpost Narizah, came under fire from insurgents on Friday. When what the military described as an “air weapons team” responded, they came under fire from the insurgents on the Pakistani side of the frontier, and returned fire, killing at least 30.
When two ISAF helicopters returned to the area the next day, they were fired on again from the Pakistani side of the border, and again returned fire, killing several more insurgents, spokesmen said.
The Khost Provincial Police Chief, Gen. Abdul Hakim Isahqzai, put the death toll among the insurgents at 82 or higher. There have been no complaints of civilian casualties in the incidents.
ISAF officials said the cross-border attacks fell within its rules of engagement because the insurgents had attacked them from across the border.The Associated Press reported that a third strike inside Pakistani territory was carried out by two NATO helicopters on Monday. Pakistani intelligence officials told the AP that the attack killed five militants and wounded nine others.