Pakistani Militants Hijack Convoy For US-Led Forces

PESHAWAR, Pakistan — Suspected Taliban fighters hijacked trucks carrying Humvees and other supplies for U.S.-led troops in Afghanistan, authorities said Tuesday after a brazen attack near the Khyber Pass that underscored the militants' grip across key mountain strongholds.

The assault highlighted the vulnerability of a vital supply route for the 65,000 U.S. and NATO forces battling a resurgent Taliban in landlocked Afghanistan. A significant amount of supplies for the Western forces go through Pakistan.

Attacks on convoys carrying food, fuel and other supplies are common on the road. But Monday's raid was especially large and well-organized. It also could further strain U.S.-Pakistani relations over rooting out Taliban and al-Qaida militants along the border, which remain entrenched despite military offensives and U.S. missile strikes.

Some 60 masked militants blocked the route at several points before overpowering the convoy, said Fazal Mahmood, a government official in Khyber tribal region. He identified the attackers as members of Pakistan's Taliban movement.

Security forces traded fire with the gunmen, but were forced to retreat, he said. The militants took about 13 trucks along with the drivers, who were believed to be Pakistani.

A U.S. military spokesman in Afghanistan confirmed the thefts late Tuesday.

"There were some U.S. military materials that were taken _ Humvees and water tank trailers," said Maj. John Redfield.

Later Monday, a separate group of insurgents halted a truck carrying what appeared to be a NATO jeep, setting the military vehicle on fire, Mahmood said. NATO officials could not immediately be reached for comment on that incident.

Story continues below

advertisement

In the past, U.S. and NATO officials have played down their losses along the pass.

But earlier this year, NATO said it was trying to reduce its dependence on the route by negotiating with Russia and other nations to let it truck "non-lethal" supplies to Afghanistan through Central Asia.

Security forces, backed by helicopter gunships, hunted for the missing trucks and drivers. The military said late Tuesday it had recovered some of the stolen materials but would not specify what.

"We are using all resources to trace and recover the hijacked trucks, some of which were carrying vehicles for the allied forces in Afghanistan," Mahmood said.

Most of the supplies for U.S. and other foreign troops in Afghanistan arrive by ship at Pakistan's port of Karachi in unmarked containers. They are then taken by colorfully decorated trucks to places like Bagram Air Base, north of Kabul, the Afghan capital.

NATO and U.S. officials have declined to say if the trucks carry weapons and ammunition. They have in the past suggested that ordinary criminals _ not an orchestrated campaign by militants _ are the main problem.

The Khyber Pass, a stretch of about 30 miles, has long been an important trade route and militarily strategic area traversed for centuries by armies, from Moghul warriors to British colonial forces. It abuts the main northwestern Pakistan city of Peshawar.

In a bid to eliminate militancy in the border region, the U.S. has stepped up unilateral missile strikes there, a move condemned by Pakistani leaders who say it only deepens anti-American feelings among civilians.

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari was headed to the United States Tuesday for a U.N. conference on interfaith relations. He was expected to broach the subject of the missile strikes with U.S. officials.

Pakistan's prime minister, Yousuf Raza Gilani, issued a statement after a meeting Tuesday with a U.S. congressional delegation saying there was a "need for restoration of trust between" the two nations and that there must be "complete respect for Pakistan's territorial integrity."

Pakistan has pursued its own military offensives against insurgents, including ones in the Swat Valley and the Bajur tribal region. The U.S. has praised the operations, but the militants have staged a wave of suicide attacks, apparently in retaliation.

A suicide bomber blew himself up Tuesday outside a stadium hosting athletes from around the country, killing at least three people and wounding 17 while narrowly missing some top government leaders, officials said.

The bomber struck outside the main gate of the Peshawar Sports Complex, which was decked with lights for the closing ceremony of the Inter-Provincial Games. Officials had promoted the games as a way to improve the northwest's violent image.

The province's information minister, Mian Iftikhar Hussain, said he was just a few feet away from the site of the explosion when it happened, and that the province's governor had left the scene only 15 minutes before.

__

Associated Press writers Asif Shahzad in Islamabad and Fisnik Abrashi in Kabul, Afghanistan, contributed to this report.

Comments

[LITU]

Afghanistan CAN NOT be controlled. Our military knows this; they have even expressed it.

It will be our undoing, as it has been for every other would-be occupier.

[watchingthings]

Something is definately NOT right when "the longer you fight a war"the "stronger the enemy gets"

[watchingthings]

Something is definately right when..."the longer you fight a war" the "stronger the enemy gets.

[watchingthings]

....correction...something is NOT right when..."the longer you fight a war" the "stronger the enemy gets"

[dogman44]

"When you do battle, even if you are winning, if you continue for a long time it will
dull your forces and blunt your edge; if you besiege a citadel, your strength will be exhausted. If you keep your armies out in the field for a long time, your supplies will
be insufficent.
When your forces are dulled, your edge is blunted, your strength is exhausted, and
your suppliesare gone, then others will take advantage of your debility and rise up.
Then even if you have wise advisers you cannot make things turn out well in the end.
Therefor I have heard of military operations that were clumsy but swift, but I have
never seen one that was skillful and lasted a long time. It is never beneficial to a
nation to have a military operation continue for a long time."

Sun Tu "The Art of War"

[johnnynyc]

Boy, I miss the Powell Doctrine.

[johnnynyc]

Boy, do I miss the Powell Doctrine.

[primeelite]

I think it is pretty obvious what happened here for anyone with military knowledge. You give a convoy of great fighting vehicles to a shady government and it happens to get hijacked by people they are connected to and there were no shots fired at all and the Pakistani forces "retreated". If they had the convoy surrounded how did the Pakistani's retreat, did they just walk right through the forces?

[CydSlayton]

I think history suggests you are right, Primeelite. Neither the Pakistan military nor the Pakistan security intelligence can be counted on to support "justice (if not democracy) on the march." I hope Petreaus can come up with a strategy to secure the region (Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan). Most Americans don't know that Pakistan is the only state in the Islamic region that we know of with nuclear weapons, which are probably not secure and have reportedly been sold to other countries, including Iran. Thus, the region's security is vital to our national interest.

Although polls indicate Pakistani people don't want direct US intervention, the Taliban and al Queda are apparently dispersing from FATA, perhaps the most dangerous area in the world, to their cities.

[leatherneck1971]

I keep remembering the folly of the historic attempts to passive this region, from the British failures of last century, Russian debacle of a 15 year occupation and then retreat, does not anyone realize these people will not bow down and submit to our will like puppy dogs, and will not become our passive puppets to do our bidding, if someone with some good sense does not realize this occupation of Afghanistan is doomed to failure, and history is complete with evidence of this doom, then it truly is a sad situation, and will cost untold billions in wasted US tax dollars which will not change one thing in this region. The real folly is we as a nation based on rebellion have forgotten how people whom feel invaded, oppressed react to such, they do not submit, bow down, and these tribal regions are definitely not populated by people whom want us there, and will not change their religious beliefs of hundreds of years for our christian morality and ideas on women, etc.., foolish folly, is all I can say on this mid east endeavor!

[Liberalrep1980]

Pakistan, blah. We give these morons billions of dollars to help us and they run away from 60 armed men. Pathetic. But then again we probably shouldn't even be therer now. And no, these people are not going to give the stuff back unless the whole point was to show good faith. Let's hope so or we will see a bunch of dead drivers in the next few weeks. Even though I am not a religous man, I pray for their safe return. This is passed military victory, and most likely was from day one the decided to start it. Didn't help we were chasing a terrorist and suddenly saw a shiny black nickle and stopped for 7 years to pick it up only to realize it's been glued to the floor forever. We are just as big as morons as the Pakistani's are. Hope all you military folks come home soon and safe. Much respect to you all.

[marasgram18]

why do they not get our supplies trucks and everything that was hijacked back

[Henk]

Well, the folks that hijacked them went to considerable trouble in doing so and may be reluctant to return them. I could be wrong of course and they may have been risking their lives for sport, but I don't that.

[pros54]

They did it just to show support for Obama. They will self deliver the vehicles to Kabul in the next day or two.

[Sneaky]

Damn, I thought it was a little face time and a "Hi Mom!" for the camera. Your answer makes more sense.