Washington, September 09: Eight oil tankers, supplying fuel to US-led NATO forces across the border in Afghanistan, caught fire in the Akhtarabad area of the provincial capital when they were attacked by unknown armed men.
Local police officials said the oil tankers were going to Afghanistan for supplying fuel to the NATO forces. When the tankers were passing through the Akhtarabad area of Quetta, some unidentified men, riding a motorcycle, attacked the oil tankers last evening. They opened indiscriminate fire with sophisticated weapons at the tankers. One of the oil tankers caught fire, which engulfed the others as well, police said.
Flames could be seen from miles, eyewitnesses said. Firefighters and police reached the spot and after hectic efforts of two hours, the fire was brought under control. Meanwhile, the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) said supply of fuel and other items to NATO forces in Afghanistan was once again suspended after the Afghan forces closed the Pak-Afghan border at Chaman yesterday. The border on Pakistan side remained closed for two days last month over a dispute between truckers and immigration officials. A bomb blast set ablaze over a dozen NATO vehicles carrying food and fuel supplies to international troops two weeks ago in the Chaman town, bordering Afghanistan.
—Agencies