Arson attack: Nine NATO fuel trucks destroyed, driver killed

Attack triggers huge fire, disrupts highway traffic.

QUETTA:

A fuel truck driver was killed and at least nine Nato trucks were destroyed late Thursday night when unidentified men fired rockets at them in Surab tehsil in Kalat district.

Around 15 Nato tankers carrying fuel were parked at a roadside teashop when militants resorted to indiscriminate fire on the tankers and fired rockets, according to police. Nine fuel trucks were engulfed in flames as a result. The fire also spread to nearby shops and the teashop.

The attackers were heavily armed and used a lot of firepower to scare people in the area, eyewitnesses said.

Surab Assistant Commissioner Khuda-e-Rahim Mirwani told The Express Tribune that the attack took place at around 2 am. “One of drivers killed in the attack has been identified as Samiullah,” he said, adding that the attackers had fired six to seven rockets.

The fire was extinguished after a long battle around 6 pm because the tehsil is not equipped with a fire brigade. Firefighters were called in from Kalat city.

The traffic on Quetta Karachi National Highway was disrupted for several hours because of the huge fire.

Officials operating fire tenders conceded that they lacked equipment and material to deal with such a fire.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

A case has been registered against unidentified suspects and investigations are under way.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 14^th, 2013.