. Military Space News .
Pakistan militants destroy NATO vehicles: police

Pakistani firefighters walk past still smouldering trucks at a NATO container terminal near the northwest Pakistani city of Peshawar on December 8, 2008. Hundreds of armed militants launched a second overnight raid on a NATO terminal in Pakistan in as many days, torching 100 vehicles destined for troops in Afghanistan, police said. Photo courtesy AFP.
by Staff Writers
Peshawar, Pakistan (AFP) Dec 13, 2008
Suspected Taliban militants on Saturday attacked a NATO supply depot in northwest Pakistan, destroying 11 trucks and 13 containers bound for foreign troops in Afghanistan, police said.

The raid was the fourth on NATO and US military terminals outside the city of Peshawar in the past week alone, highlighting the vulnerability of the key supply route through Pakistan.

The attackers struck before dawn, setting the vehicles ablaze, local police officer Fida Mohammad told AFP, adding that firefighters had managed to salvage nearly 20 other vehicles.

The raid came despite an increase in security following two huge attacks last weekend in which hundreds of trucks were destroyed.

Paramilitary forces in vehicles fitted with guns and searchlights are now conducting regular patrols of the area and members of a special anti-terrorist squad have been deployed, police official Fazal Mahmood told AFP.

But the local officer, Mohammad, said it was difficult to protect the whole area around Peshawar, where 13 terminals used by the NATO and US-led forces are located.

"This time they came secretly, taking advantage of the darkness, without firing rockets or gunshots," he said.

Police say the militants slip into Peshawar from villages in the lawless tribal region of Khyber, which borders Afghanistan, and are well-organised.

Hundreds of NATO vehicles were destroyed last weekend in two well-planned attacks by militants armed with rocket launchers, hand grenades and other automatic weapons.

A third raid on Thursday night destroyed another dozen vehicles intended for US-led troops fighting the Taliban insurgency over the border in Afghanistan.

NATO and US-led forces in Afghanistan are hugely dependent on Pakistan for their supplies and equipment, around 80 percent of which are transported through the country.

However, both forces have downplayed the attacks, saying they have had no impact and insisting supply lines are secure.

Share This Article With Planet Earth
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit
YahooMyWebYahooMyWeb GoogleGoogle FacebookFacebook



Related Links
News From Across The Stans



Memory Foam Mattress Review
Newsletters :: SpaceDaily :: SpaceWar :: TerraDaily :: Energy Daily
XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News


Scores Killed On All Sides As Afghani War Continues
London (AFP) Dec 12, 2008
Four British troops were killed in two separate explosions Friday in troubled southern Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence said.







  • Russian warships sail into Nicaragua political storm
  • Russian warship leaves Panama after historic visit
  • Defense Focus: Panama mission Part One
  • Walker's World: The ally India needs

  • US refuses Marshalls bid to use aid for nuclear victims
  • Russia hopes for progress on START talks under Obama
  • NKorea warns on nukes after talks collapse
  • US says no more fuel shipments to NKorea until nuke verification

  • Six killed in suspected US missile strike in Pakistan: official
  • NLOS-LS Team Completes Second Guided Test Flight Of PAM
  • US Navy Tests Seven Raytheon Standard Missile-2 Block IIIAs During Trials
  • Iran tests medium-range missile in naval war games

  • US, Russia to discuss missile shield in Moscow
  • Lessons From The Russian Bulava Missile Submarine Program Part Two
  • US, Russia to discuss missile shield in Moscow next week
  • Lessons The Russian Bulava Missile submarine Program Part One

  • Climate protesters cause chaos at British airport
  • Thompson Files: Protect U.S. aerospace
  • NASA studies pilot cognition
  • China postpones talks with Airbus: spokesman

  • Navy Targets Unmanned Aircraft
  • Successful Autoland Of The F-16 Fighting Falcon
  • Army To Equip National Guard Unit With FCS Aerial Robots
  • Thales WATCHKEEPER Successfully Passes First System Flight Trial

  • US support troops to stay in Iraq cities after June pullback target
  • Dogs of War: The Blackwater indictments
  • Iranian support for Iraq insurgency appears to wane: US general
  • US to begin transfer of Iraqi prisoners on Feb 1

  • Airlift The Key To True Superpower Capability Part One
  • Virtual Training For Real-World Missions
  • US Top Brass Fed Up With F-22 Problems
  • Paving The Way: The Latest Weapon Against The Taliban

  • The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2007 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement