Peshawar: Pressing ahead with their
strikes on NATO convoys, Taliban militants torched a container
truck ferrying supplies to Afghanistan, killing its driver and
cleaner in the lawless Khyber tribal region as seven people
were killed in fierce clashes in Pakistan`s northwest,
official sources said.
In the first attack since Pakistan allowed NATO
convoys reaccess to use the crucial Khyber Pass route, the
militants armed with petrol bombs and assault rifles targeted
the container as it was parked in Shah Kas area of Khyber
Agency after crossing over from Afghanistan.
Official said the militants asked the driver and
cleaner to get down from the truck, shot them down and set the
container ablaze.
No group claimed responsibility for the incident.
Over 100 container trucks and oil tankers ferrying
supplies to NATO and US forces in Afghanistan have been
destroyed in a series of attacks across Pakistan in recent
weeks.
Pakistan shut the main Khyber Pass crossing on
September 30, apparently to protest cross-border strikes by
NATO aircrafts, which left at least two Pakistani soldiers
dead. Islamabad gave the go ahead to the convoys only on
Sunday.
In another incident in nearby Orakzai tribal region,
seven people were killed in fierce clashes between Taliban and
pro-government tribal militia.
Those killed included four members of pro-government
militia and three Taliban insurgents.
The gunbattle erupted when a group of tribal militia
attacked militants in Kasha area of Orakzai on the border with
Afghanistan. Six more militiamen were also injured.
The Pakistani authorities have enrolled the tribal
militia in their fight against the Taliban.
PTI
