Such intrusions were not covered by "any agreement or understanding with the coalition forces," Ashfaq Parvez kayani said.

They are not "allowed to conduct operations on our side of the border," Kayani said in a statement.

His strong reaction comes in the wake of mounting cross-border violations by US predator drones and a raid by coalition special forces inside a village in Pakistan's tribal belt which killed over 15 people.

Under the "well defined" rules of engagement with the coalition forces, the right to conduct operations against militants within Pakistan is solely the responsibility of the country's armed forces, he said.

No "external force is allowed to conduct operations inside Pakistan" and the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity would be defended "at all cost, Kayani said and cautioned that strikes by foreign forces could "further fuel" the militancy in the country.

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Thurday endorsed Kayani's stance, saying it reflected the government's policy. He said his government had the same views as the army chief on defending the country's sovereignty and integrity.

Kayani also said that, during his meeting with top US military officers aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln on August 27, he had stressed that "military action alone cannot solve the problem" of militancy in Pakistan's northwest and tribal areas.

"Political reconciliatory effort was required to go along with the military prong to win the hearts and minds of the people," Kayani said.

Regretting the killing of civilians in the cross-border raids by coalition forces, he said: "Such reckless actions only help the militants and further fuel the militancy in the area." Kayani "reiterated the need for a collaborative approach for better understanding of a highly complex issue". He said "trust-deficit and misunderstandings can lead to more complications and increase the difficulties for all".

The Pakistan Army has conducted successful operations against militants in the past and "is committed to eliminate them" from the Federally Administered Tribal Area and Swat valley in North West Frontier Province, he said.

"Our security forces have given huge sacrifices in this war and it is the presence of the army which has denied the freedom of movement and operation to al-Qaeda and (their) affiliates," he said, adding the support of the people of Pakistan would be decisive.

Pakistan's national interest would always guide the country's policy, Kayani said.

He said he had informed US officials about the "complexity of the issue that requires understanding in depth and more patience for evolving comprehensive solution".

During his discussions with them, the "imperative of public support at large for the military operations also came under focus", he said.

The US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, acknowledged the "better understanding of ground realities" by Kayani and remarked, "he is committed to doing what is best for Pakistan and he is going to stay the same", the statement said.

Pointing out that the constraints of operating in Pakistan's tribal areas "must never be lost sight of", Kayani "re-emphasised that there are no quick fixes in this war".

"Falling for short term gains while ignoring our long term interest is not the right way forward.

"To succeed, the coalition would be required to display strategic patience and help the other side the way they want it rather than adopting a unilateral approach which may be counter productive," he said.

Kayani said a multi-pronged approach, fully supported by the people of Pakistan, would "help us defeat the threat of internal terrorism".

Pakistan's restive tribal areas have witnessed several strikes in recent weeks by pilot-less planes armed with missiles. Besides the air strikes, helicopter-borne US Special Forces recently attacked al-Qaeda militants in South Waziristan the first publicly acknowledged case of American forces having conducted a ground raid on Pakistani soil.

Pakistani has protested against these attacks, describing them as a violation of its sovereignty. It also briefly suspended oil supplies to NATO forces in Afghanistan.

Reports have suggested that the US forces might launch a broader campaign against the Taliban and al-Qaeda inside Pakistan.

Washington has also criticised Islamabad for not doing enough to curb cross-border attacks in Afghanistan by Taliban and al-Qaeda based on the Pakistani soil.