Kabul, September 04: NATO launched an airstrike on two fuel tankers hijacked by Taliban militants in northern Afghanistan, killing at least 40 people, an Afghan official said Friday.
Militants seized the two trucks, which were delivering fuel to NATO forces, around midnight and the alliance launched an airstrike while the Taliban fighters tried to drive the vehicles across a river in Kunduz province, Police Chief Gulam Mohyuddin said.
NATO confirmed that there was an airstrike in Kunduz overnight but gave no details.
The police chief said the airstrike killed 40 people. Gov. Mohammad Omar of Kunduz province said at least 45 were killed. He said the dead included the senior Taliban commander for the district, Abdur Rahman, and four Chechen fighters.
“Abudur Rahman is a very dangerous man,” the governor said.
The incident occurred two kilometers (1.2 miles) from the village of Omar Khel, officials said. But both the police chief and governor said they did not know if there were any civilian casualties.
They said an additional 12 people were injured and taken to hospital.
The hijackings reflect the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan.
—Agencies