Perilous trade: Two killed, as many injured in attacks on NATO containers

One of the deceased could not be identified after sustaining fatal burns.

JAMRUD: Two people were killed and as many were severely injured in Jamrud, Khyber Agency on Monday when unidentified militants attacked vehicles supplying goods to foreign troops stationed in Afghanistan.

Ali Sher, an official of the Jamrud political administration, said three attacks were carried out on Nato vehicles in different areas. He said he was overseeing a polio campaign in the area when he was informed of the first attack on a container near Hawaldari check post in which driver Jan Muhammad, a resident of Bahadur Kallay, was injured. The official said militants escaped on two motorcycles after the attack.

The official said as he rushed to the site of the first incident he was informed militants had carried out another attack near Sur Kamar in which gunmen opened fire on two vehicles, killing driver Abdur Rauf and injuring another vehicle’s rider Rahmat Gul.

Sher added soon after the second attack, militants attacked yet another vehicle near Ali Masjid and torched it, burning to death a man inside the vehicle who could not be identified.

The official said a search operation was launched in the area and 15 suspects were arrested under the collective responsibility clause of the Frontier Crimes Regulation.

A history of violence

Nato vehicles are frequently targeted by militants while carrying goods to and from Afghanistan.

On November 23, 2013, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan announced to block Nato supplies in a bid to pressure the US to halt drone strikes. As workers of the party set up checkpoints to stop vehicles coming from the Torkham border, attacks on Nato containers came to a halt. On February 27, the blockade was ended following high court orders after which attacks against Nato vehicles resumed.

On March 4, two drivers of vehicles carrying Nato goods were killed and a cleaner injured when armed men opened fire at them in Sur Kamar.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 15^th, 2014.