Pakistan forces take control of Shamasi base as U.S. troops pull out

Pakistan's border guards took control of the Shamasi Airbase, previously used by U.S. troops for drone airstrikes in border regions of Afghanistan and Pakistan, the News Tribe newspaper said.

"51 U.S. troops have vacated the airbase and their luggage has been shifted to Afghanistan and FC [Frontier Corps] took the control of base," the paper said.

Islamabad gave the U.S. 15 days to leave the base on November 26 in response to a deadly NATO air strike on a checkpoint in the Mohmand tribal area in northwest Pakistan. The attack left at least 24 soldiers dead and 14 injured.

Shortly after the attack, Pakistan's authorities also closed one of NATO's key supply routes to Afghanistan, the so-called northern supply route through the Khyber Pass and Torham border post.