A briefing by the head of the US Central Command to Pakistani officials on the November 26 cross-border NATO air attack that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers and severely strained ties with Washington has been cancelled, a Pakistani official said on Friday. News that US General James N Mattis’s visit to Pakistan had been cancelled came a day after Washington announced that its investigation into the attack found both American and Pakistani forces were to blame for the border incident. The US military blamed Pakistani soldiers for firing at NATO forces as they prepared for a mission in a remote area near Afghanistanl’s eastern border with Pakistan close to midnight on November 25. The investigation also conceded a critical error by US troops, who told Pakistan the cross-border shooting was taking place about 9 miles (14 km) away due to mapping error. Pakistan responded by saying it had no troops there.
