Hundreds of oil tankers torched in Kabul, Taliban claim responsibility

KABUL (Xinhua) - Hundreds of oil tankers were burned down in Arghandi area on the outskirts of Afghan capital city Kabul on Friday night, inflicting damages worth millions of dollars.Taliban militants fighting the government to regain power in the conflict-ridden country have claimed responsibility for the attack.

"It was 11:00 p.m. Friday night when three rockets hit the parking lot in Arghandi area on the outskirts of Kabul city burning several oil tankers," a driver, Tawab Khan, told Xinhua at the site of the incident.

"Two of my own oil tankers have burned to ashes and I have lost whatever I had in my life," Khan added.

According to Khan, there were around 900 oil tankers and trucks in the parking lot when the attack happened, adding only some 200 oil tankers and trucks had been rescued by their drivers.

Another dejected driver who was crying and declined to be named said his oil tanker was devoured in the fire.

Fire brigade fighters after hours of fighting were able to extinguish the fire at 06:00 a.m. local time Saturday.

The Interior Ministry in a statement released here confirmed the incident, saying preliminary reports by police showed that around 200 oil tankers caught fire on Friday night in Arghandi area of Paghman district, 20 km west of Kabul.

Investigation has been initiated to determine the reason for the fire and the losses incurred.

Nevertheless, immediately after the incident, Taliban militants claimed responsibility for the attack on oil tankers.

A statement posted on Taliban website termed the attack as a tactical offensive and said, "Taliban first entered the parking lot and after placing sticky mines on some oil tankers detonated them, which caused a wild fire devouring at least 600 vehicles including oil tankers."

Citing Taliban purported spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, the statement also insisted that dozens of Afghan and foreign soldiers had lost their lives in the fire that lasted for several hours.