Pakistan route cut-off costs billions - US

US: The Pentagon has asked Congress to shift billions of dollars in the defense budget to pay for added fuel costs to ferry supplies to Afghanistan after Pakistan closed its border to NATO convoys, US officials said Monday.

In a letter to congressional defense committees, the Pentagon requested “reprogramming” $8.2 billion in funds previously approved to finance more urgent priorities, officials said.

There were “some unanticipated costs that we just didn’t foresee,” spokesman Captain John Kirby told reporters.

It remained unclear what programs in the defense budget would receive less funding as a result.

A large portion of the request was due to the costs “associated with the extended closure of the ground lines of communication” in Pakistan, Kirby said.

In November, Pakistan shut its border to NATO supply convoys bound for Afghanistan after a US air strike accidentally killed 24 Pakistani soldiers.

The Pentagon reportedly estimates an alternative network of northern supply routes through Central Asia has generated $2.1 billion in additional fuel costs compared to the shorter Pakistani route.

The request to shift funds was also needed to cover the cost of deploying an additional aircraft carrier to the Gulf region.

AFP