What BS.
Aircraft could easily fly around whatever positions the “tribes” held and go on their merry way or just fly higher out of rifle range.
This story is a crock.
But reads well in Islamabad.
We don't have enough information to know yet.
I've seen a number of articles get branded as "a crock" that turn out that way. Others turn out to be accurate.
The aircraft could have been doing NOE to pick up some guys or drop them off. It happens all the time.