ISLAMABAD: Assailants torched 10 trucks stranded in Pakistan by the bombing of a key bridge on the main supply route for US forces in Afghanistan, an official said yesterday.
Increasing attacks on transport depots and truck convoys heading to bases across the border have raised doubts about Pakistan’s ability to protect the vital road as the US prepares to send as many as 30,000 more American forces into Afghanistan this year.
A day after destruction of British-made bridge linking Khyber Agency’s border point of Torkham with Afghanistan, militants destroyed the trucks at Landi Kotal yesterday.
But political agent of Khyber, Tariq Hayat, while refuting the news told Arab News “no such incident took place.”
“No such incident took place I do not know from where these channels get incorrect stories,” said referring to the news broadcast by the GEO television.
Hayat said “Landi Kotal is within the purview of my jurisdiction.” He said, “we have partially repaired the bridge and routine flow supplies to Afghanistan are restored.”
He said under Frontier Crimes Regulations, we have served notices to Malikdin Khail’s sub-tribe of Jhanda Khail tribe for giving sanctuary to criminals.” He said a new bridge will soon be constructed for normal flow of road supplies to Afghanistan.”
However, local government official Fazl Rabbi said attackers set fire to at least 10 trucks parked overnight near Landi Kotal, a town close to the famed Khyber Pass that connects Pakistan with Afghanistan.
“Militants sprinkled oil and then fired rockets at a terminal in the border town of Landi Kotal” late Tuesday, said another local government official Rahat Gul.
US officials have played down any concern about running out of food or fuel, despite pressure on their supply lines.
— With input from agencies
