US troops embedded with Pakistani forces: WikiLeaks

The U.S. special operation forces were deployed with Pakistani troops on intelligence-gathering missions in Pakistan by September 2009, confidential American diplomatic cables revealed.

Pakistani army chief had agreed to the covert U.S. drone campaign against militants, but asked for “ continuous Predator coverage” of tribal militants in North and South Waziristan by the aircraft, another cable showed.

The army, however, denied the contents of the Wikileaks cable.

Pakistan had lashed out at the generals after the US raid on the country, which was a violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty.

The attack that killed Osama Bin Laden had strained the relationship between US and Pakistan but the Pakistani army did not receive much criticism even though the raid had happened not far from Islamabad.

According to the cables, by September 2009, plans were made to include the army headquarters for the joint intelligence activities.

A number of the leaked reports reveal, however, that the US had been eager to embed American troops with Pakistanis soldiers.

Pakistan has begun to accept intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance support from the US military for COIN (counterinsurgency) operations, Patterson wrote.

In addition, intelligence fusion centers had been established at the headquarters of Frontier Corps and the 11th Corps and we expect at additional sites, including GHQ and the 12th Corps in Balochistan.