Pakistan

Militants set fire to Nato trucks

Article published on the 2008-12-07 Latest update 2008-12-07 17:57 TU

A security official stands among burnt military vehicles on the outskirts of Peshawar
(Photo: Reuters / Ali Imam)

An attack on Nato terminals in Peshawar early on Sunday left almost 200 supply trucks destroyed. The trucks were used for supplying Nato forces in Afghanistan.

250 militants attacked two terminals and killed one security guard while disarming the others.

They covered 89 vehicles in petrol that had been stolen earlier from a gas station and set them alight.

Correspondent Behroz Khan, in Peshawar, says that police are responible for security in Peshawar.

A security official said however that police were concentrating on investigating last Friday's bomb blast in Peshawar.

"Police officials said that they're so heavily involved in security inside Peshawar city [...] so they can not spare forces for any security arrangements outside the city" Khan explained, describing security outside the city as "almost next to nil'.

Jeeps, armoured vehicles, two fire engines and ammunition containers were destroyed in the attack.

"There are many private owners and private companies that own these trucks and they are in contract for the supplies" Khan said. He went on to say that unless the vehicles are covered by insurance, then "the supplies will come to a halt".