In an unusually strong public statement, General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani said a raid last week into Pakistan's tribal border areas of South Waziristan region killed innocent civilians and could backfire on the anti-terror allies.
A pentagon spokesman, Bryan Whitman, would not comment directly on General Kayani's remarks. But he said the US military is working closely with the Pakistanis in regard to the border region.
"We have a shared common interest with respect to terrorism and terrorist activities," said Mr Whitman. "Pakistan recognizes the challenges that they have, and the United States is committed to helping allies counter terrorism."
Gen Kayani said such operations were covered by no agreement between Pakistan and US-led forces in Afghanistan and risked stoking militancy in a region which Washington regards as an intolerably safe haven for al-Qaeda and Taliban militants.
"Falling for short term gains while ignoring our long term interest is not the right way forward," said General Kayani, according to the statement released through the military's media wing.
America has stepped up its campaign to target militants in Pakistan's sanctuaries.
US officials said that the commando raid last week probably heralded more similar operations as American forces in Afghanistan come under pressure from Taliban militants.
America has tripled the number of missile attacks, fired by unnamed Predator drone aircraft, in the past year.
Last week a missile attack killed four mid-level al-Qaeda operatives during a strike on a madrassa compound owned by the Afhgan warlord Jalaluddin Haqqani.
The missile strike in the North Waziristan tribal region destroyed a seminary and houses killed 20 people, including some women and children.
Three Pakistani intelligence officials identified the foreign militants as Abu Qasim, Abu Musa, Abu Hamza and Abu Haris.
Abu Haris led al-Qaida efforts in the tribal areas, while Abu Hamza led activities in Peshawar, the main northwest city, according to the intelligence officials, who said they got the details from informants and agents in the field.
Parties that won February elections forced Pervez Musharraf to quit as president last month. The military, which has dominated Pakistan for much of its 61-year history, has said it will follow the lead of the new civilian government.
But in Wednesday's statement, General Kayani let loose his first public criticism of American policy - a measure of the sensitivity surrounding US military action on Pakistani soil, even in the tribal belt where the state has minimal control.
"The sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country will be defended at all cost and no external force is allowed to conduct operations inside Pakistan," added General Kayani.
In the latest violence, the army said its troops and secuirty forces killed more than 31 militants in two volatile regions along the Afghan border. In the Dir region, also near the border, police said a bomb killed 10 people in a mosque.
Pakistan condemns US troop crossborder raids from Afghanistan
In an unusually strong public statement, General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani said a raid last week into Pakistan's tribal border areas of South Waziristan region killed innocent civilians and could backfire on the anti-terror allies.
A pentagon spokesman, Bryan Whitman, would not comment directly on General Kayani's remarks. But he said the US military is working closely with the Pakistanis in regard to the border region.
"We have a shared common interest with respect to terrorism and terrorist activities," said Mr Whitman. "Pakistan recognizes the challenges that they have, and the United States is committed to helping allies counter terrorism."
Gen Kayani said such operations were covered by no agreement between Pakistan and US-led forces in Afghanistan and risked stoking militancy in a region which Washington regards as an intolerably safe haven for al-Qaeda and Taliban militants.
"Falling for short term gains while ignoring our long term interest is not the right way forward," said General Kayani, according to the statement released through the military's media wing.
America has stepped up its campaign to target militants in Pakistan's sanctuaries.
US officials said that the commando raid last week probably heralded more similar operations as American forces in Afghanistan come under pressure from Taliban militants.
America has tripled the number of missile attacks, fired by unnamed Predator drone aircraft, in the past year.
Last week a missile attack killed four mid-level al-Qaeda operatives during a strike on a madrassa compound owned by the Afhgan warlord Jalaluddin Haqqani.
The missile strike in the North Waziristan tribal region destroyed a seminary and houses killed 20 people, including some women and children.
Three Pakistani intelligence officials identified the foreign militants as Abu Qasim, Abu Musa, Abu Hamza and Abu Haris.
Abu Haris led al-Qaida efforts in the tribal areas, while Abu Hamza led activities in Peshawar, the main northwest city, according to the intelligence officials, who said they got the details from informants and agents in the field.
Parties that won February elections forced Pervez Musharraf to quit as president last month. The military, which has dominated Pakistan for much of its 61-year history, has said it will follow the lead of the new civilian government.
But in Wednesday's statement, General Kayani let loose his first public criticism of American policy - a measure of the sensitivity surrounding US military action on Pakistani soil, even in the tribal belt where the state has minimal control.
"The sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country will be defended at all cost and no external force is allowed to conduct operations inside Pakistan," added General Kayani.
In the latest violence, the army said its troops and secuirty forces killed more than 31 militants in two volatile regions along the Afghan border. In the Dir region, also near the border, police said a bomb killed 10 people in a mosque.
