Nato supplies targeted at Bolan Pass

QUETTA – Unidentified persons killed a driver and destroyed five oil tankers carrying fuel from Karachi to Afghanistan for Nato forces on Friday morning.
Official sources say the incident took place at Bolan Pass, some 70 km south of the provincial capital near Machh, when a group of gunmen attacked the parked near a hotel at Gattani Bridge area.
Sources said militants opened firing on trucks from near by hills that resulted in death of a driver identified as Jumma Khan, while the vehicles also caught fire due to intensive firing. Consequently, five oil tankers were destroyed.
The law enforcement agencies personnel reached the site and cordoned off the area. No group has claimed the responsibility for the attack so far. However, some government officials suspect Taliban supporters for carrying out the attack in an area, which had not witnessed such incident in the past.
District government officials told The Nation that the fire could not be controlled immediately due to lack of fire-fighting facilities in the region. It is pertinent to mention that after Torkham crossing in Fata Balochistan is the second largest route for the supplies of Nato and American troops fighting Taliban in Afghanistan. The two routes being used from Balochistan are Karachi-Quetta via Bolan Pass and Karachi-Quetta via Khuzdar.
Incidents of attacks on vehicles carrying supplies through Karachi-Quetta route via Khuzdar had been occurred in the past also.
Meanwhile, unknown men set ablaze a trailer carrying logistics for Nato troops at Ornach Cross near Wadh area of Khuzdar some 340 km away from Quetta.
Police have registered cases of both the incidents and started investigation.
It may be recalled that Karachi-based US Consul General had visited Quetta last month and urged the need to strengthen the security of supplies for Nato forces.