07 July 2004	Wednesday	18 Jamadi-ul-Awwal 1425

ISLAMABAD, July 6: Pakistan and Afghan troops exchanged light fire on the border area near Mohmand Agency during early hours of Tuesday with no loss of life reported on either side, official sources told Dawn.

Officials said Pakistani troops returned the unprovoked firing from the Afghan side. The firing of 12.7 mm gunfire from the Afghan side was returned in kind with the same weapon.

However, the Pakistani troops restrained from retaliating when only a single mortar shell was fired from the Afghan side. Sources said it was a minor skirmish on the Pakistan-Afghan border as compared to the sporadic exchange of gunfire during the past few months.

The firing occurred within days of the Pakistan foreign office issuing a strong demarche to US ambassador to Kabul, Zalmay Khalilzaday, for making irresponsible statements not compatible with his diplomatic status.