27 NATO oil tankers torched in Pakistan
By IANSFriday, October 1, 2010
ISLAMABAD - More than 27 oil tankers carrying supplies for NATO troops in Afghanistan were burnt Friday when some attackers fired rockets at the vehicles parked at a fuel station in southern Pakistan, Geo News reported.
NATO sources told media, the ambush took place around 2 a.m. near Shikarpur Super Highway where over 30 fuel tankers were parked at a fuel station. Two civilians were also injured in the attack.
The miscreants unleashed rocket assault, which raged fierce fire in consequence, while the blazes engulfed 27 tankers laden with highly inflammable fuel, witnesses said, adding that three other vehicles parked nearby also caught fire.
“Shikarpur police have placed stern cordon around the district,” Saeed Ahmed, district coordination officer, said. Nearly 15-20 men were behind the attack, he added.
He said supply tankers, en route to Afghanistan, were staying at a gas station for filling fuel as the ambush occurred.
“Fire tenders have arrived on the site and rescue efforts have got underway,” he told media.
The ambush took place a day after Pakistan blocked a vital supply route for NATO oil tankers to Afghanistan through its border.
Security officials Thursday ordered the forces at Torkham border to block oil tankers and trucks at a checkpoint sharing border with Afghanistan, hours after a coalition force helicopter attacked a Pakistani border post, killing three soldiers.
