Pakistan’s airspace remains open to U.S. aircraft despite a rumor to the contrary, officials confirmed on Thursday .
Recently, U.S. diplomatic posts in Egypt, Libya and Yemen have come under attack from protesters who are angry about an amateur U.S. film that they feel insults the Prophet Mohammed. More protests are expected Friday in Oman, Jordan and elsewhere.
A rumor posted on Facebook claims that the Pakistanis have also retaliated by closing their airspace to U.S. aircraft, but defense officials said that is not true.
“We have verified with [Central Command] and our subject matters here at the Pentagon that there is no truth at all to any rumor of a closure of Pakistani air space to US aircraft,” a defense official told Air Force Times.
In November, Pakistan closed NATO’s ground supply routes into Afghanistan after Pakistani troops were killed in a cross-border incident involving U.S. forces. The supply routes were re-opened in July after Secretary of State Hillary Clinton apologized for the incident.