Driver killed after gunmen set ablaze more than 20 NATO oil tankers in southwest Pakistan

[News_Editor]

Driver killed after gunmen set ablaze more than 20 NATO oil tankers in southwest Pakistan

2010-10-06 10:08:18 GMT+7 (ICT)

ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN (BNO NEWS) -- At least 22 NATO oil tankers were set ablaze in southwest Pakistan on early Wednesday morning, authorities said, reportedly killing one driver.

The attack took place around 6 a.m. local time when unidentified gunmen opened fire at NATO trucks parked near Akhtarabad by-pass, not far from Quetta in southwest Pakistan. Around 40 trucks were parked at the site.

Scores of firefighters responded to the scene to control the blaze, which completely destroyed at least five of the 22 tankers set ablaze. Pakistani media reported one driver had been killed in the attack.

It is the third recent attack on NATO supply tankers in Pakistan. It follows a NATO-led operation last Thursday in which its helicopters illegally crossed the border with Pakistan from Afghanistan and carried out an airstrike, accidentally killing three Pakistani security personnel.

The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said a coalition force observed what they believed was a group of insurgents attempting to fire mortars at a coalition base in the border area of Dand Patan district in Paktiya Province. Two of its helicopters then engaged the suspects after it entered Pakistani airspace.

After the initial strike, the two helicopters reportedly received small arms fire from individuals just across the border in Pakistan. ISAF said its forces then re-entered Pakistani airspace and killed several armed individuals.

Pakistan military officials informed ISAF that members of their border forces in the area had been struck by coalition aircraft, resulting in three fatalities and three injuries.

Pakistan strongly protested to the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) as well as NATO for the airstrike, which it views as a violation and breach of the UN mandate under which ISAF operates.

"Incursions and strikes of this nature are not only unacceptable but could oblige Pakistan to consider response options," the Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. "Such incidents create serious misgivings and thus defeat the very basis of cooperation in pursuit of the common objective of combating terrorism."

In response to Thursday's incident, Pakistan decided to block a NATO supply route into Afghanistan. "We will have to see whether we are allies or enemies," Pakistani Interior Minister Rehman Malik said.

Thursday's incident was not the only one. It followed two similar aerial attacks in northwest Pakistan that left dozens of suspected insurgents killed. Pakistan also strongly protested against these airstrikes.

"We will have to see whether we are allies or enemies," Pakistani Interior Minister Rehman Malik said after the air strike.

NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen offered regrets and termed the incidents as most unfortunate, and assured that NATO considered Pakistan as an important partner and will carry out a detailed assessment of the incident. He also expressed hope that the supply routes will promptly be reopened.

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