News Brief – December 13, 2008
A NATO supply depot in northwest Pakistan has again been attacked
following attacks earlier this week in which nearly two hundred military vehicles were destroyed.
A Pakistani firefighter sprays smouldering NATO vehicles
The attack was the latest on transport compounds used to ferry armoured fighting to Western forces in Afghanistan as militants increasingly target supply lines.
Pakistan police said 11 trucks and 13 containers containing supplies were destroyed in the attack.
The raid was the fourth on NATO and US military terminals outside the city of Peshawar in the past week, highlighting the vulnerability of the NATO supply route through Pakistan.
It came despite an increase in security following the earlier attacks.
A Pakistani officer, Mohammad, said it was difficult to protect the whole of north-western Pakistan, 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 attackers slip into Peshawar from the lawless tribal region of Khyber, which borders Afghanistan.
A third raid on Thursday night destroyed another dozen vehicles intended for US-led troops fighting in Afghanistan.
Although NATO and US-led forces in Afghanistan have downplayed the attacks, saying they have had no impact and insisting supply lines are secure, both are heavily dependent on supply routes through Pakistan.
An estimated 80% of US and NATO forces supplies pass through Pakistan.
Last updated 15/12/2008
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