Oil tankers set alight, 4 dead

Firefighters extinguish burning oil tankers which were attacked and set ablaze by unidentified gunmen on the outskirts of Peshawar. Gunmen in northwestern Pakistan attacked and killed four guards and set fire to over a dozen tankers carrying fuel for Nato troops in Afghanistan. Photo: Reuters
Firefighters extinguish burning oil tankers which were attacked and set ablaze by unidentified gunmen on the outskirts of Peshawar. Gunmen in northwestern Pakistan attacked and killed four guards and set fire to over a dozen tankers carrying fuel for Nato troops in Afghanistan. Photo: Reuters
Firefighters extinguish burning oil tankers which were attacked and set ablaze by unidentified gunmen early morning on the outskirts of Peshawar. Gunmen in northwestern Pakistan attacked and killed four guards and set fire to over a dozen tankers carrying fuel for Nato troops in Afghanistan. Photo: Reuters
Firefighters extinguish burning oil tankers which were attacked and set ablaze by unidentified gunmen on the outskirts of Peshawar. Gunmen in northwestern Pakistan attacked and killed four guards and set fire to over a dozen tankers carrying fuel for NATO troops in Afghanistan. Photo: Reuters
A firefighter gestures in front of burning oil tankers which were attacked and set ablaze by unidentified gunmen early morning on the outskirts of Peshawar. Gunmen in northwestern Pakistan attacked and killed four guards and set fire to over a dozen tankers carrying fuel for NATO troops in Afghanistan. Photo: Reuters
Pakistani security officials look at burning Nato tankers in suburbs of Peshawar, Pakistan. Militants in Pakistan attacked tankers bringing fuel to Nato and US forces in Afghanistan, killing four people and causing a massive night-time blaze. Photo: AP
A resident walks past burning oil tankers which were attacked and set ablaze by unidentified gunmen on the outskirts of Peshawar. Gunmen in northwestern Pakistan attacked and killed four guards and set fire to over a dozen tankers carrying fuel for Nato troops in Afghanistan. Photo: Reuters
Pakistani security officials look at burning Nato tankers in suburbs of Peshawar, Pakistan. Militants in Pakistan attacked tankers bringing fuel to Nato and US forces in Afghanistan, killing four people and causing a massive night-time blaze. Photo: AP

Published Feb 25, 2011

Militants in Pakistan attacked tankers bringing fuel to Nato and US forces in Afghanistan, killing four people and causing a massive night-time blaze. A group of around 15 militants armed with rockets and guns stormed a roadside terminal on the outskirts of the north-western city of Peshawar. At least 12 tankers were set ablaze in the attack. The dead men were drivers or their assistants, according to a police spokeman.

Much of the non-lethal supplies for the US-led operation in Afghanistan are trucked through Pakistan after arriving by sea in the port city of Karachi. Islamist militants and criminals often attack the slow-moving convoys, but the vast majority get through unscathed.