U.S. Conducts First Raid on Terrorists in Pakistan

Sept. 3, 2008— -- U.S. Special Operations Forces conducted a bold and unprecedented raid inside Pakistan early this morning on a suspected terrorist compound near the border with Afghanistan, U.S. and Pakistani officials told ABC News.

U.S. officials refused to say anything publicly about the raid, the first by Western forces inside Pakistan's tribal regions, but privately called it a successful operation. The Pakistan government called it "a gross violation of Pakistan's territory."

The raid was conducted at 3 a.m. local time by a Special Operations unit of about 40 troops operating on the ground and in the air, U.S. officials told ABC News. The officials described it as a successful operation but would not say specifically who was targeted.

According to one military official, a small number of militants was captured and several others killed.

Residents of the town of Angoor Ada, located in Pakistan's South Waziristan region, reported seeing Western troops pouring out of at least two helicopters, raiding three homes and killing 19 people, including women and children. A Pakistani military spokesman said seven civilians were killed.

U.S. officials dispute those reports but won't say who was targeted or how many were killed.

In a written statement, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry condemned the attack, calling it "unacceptable" and "a grave provocation … which has resulted in immense loss of civilian life."

U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan Anne Patterson was called into the Foreign Ministry office in Islamabad for what Pakistani officials called "a strong diplomatic protest."

"Such actions are counterproductive and certainly do not help our joint efforts to fight terrorism," the Pakistani Foreign Ministry statement said. "On the contrary, they undermine the very basis of cooperation and may fuel the fire of hatred and violence that we are trying to extinguish."

Later in the day today, Pakistani Prime Minister Yusuf Gilani survived a crude assassination attempt when "multiple snipers" shot at his motorcade as it traveled between the capital, Islamabad and neighboring Rawalpindi, according to a statement released by his office.