ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan said on Thursday U.S. personnel were in the country, but stressed that it was committed to providing the United States only with logistical support for its strikes on Afghanistan and the forces were not combat troops.(Read photo caption below)
Asked if U.S. personnel were already on the ground, government spokesman Major-General Rashid Qureshi said: ``I don't think they're combat troops.''
Pakistan media reports have said U.S. military aircraft and personnel have been seen at Jacobabad airport in southern Sindh province.
PHOTO CAPTION:
United States soldier Brad Schneier, based in Bamberg, Germany, from the Aco 54th Engineer Battalion, watches through his binoculars near Luleburgaz in northwest Turkey October 10, 2001. Nearly 5,000 NATO troops from Turkey, U.S., U.K. and other member countries are participating in NATO military exercises in the northwest of Turkey. NATO officials said the Adventure Exchange-2001 exercise was scheduled much before the September 11 attacks on the U.S. and there was no link between airstrikes on Afghanistan and ongoing NATO exercises. REUTERS/Fatih Saribas
- Oct 10 11:45 AM ET