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Afghan-bound oil tankers attacked

From Aliza Kassim, CNN
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
  • Both incidents occurred in northwestern Pakistan
  • Police think the drivers carried out the acts for financial reasons
RELATED TOPICS
  • Pakistan
  • Afghanistan
  • NATO

Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- Two oil tanker trucks carrying fuel for NATO-led troops in Afghanistan were blown up and set on fire in northwestern Pakistan, police said on Tuesday.

Both incidents occurred at separate locations on Monday in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province. There was no comment from NATO's International Security Assistance Force.

Many of the attacks are blamed on militants fighting NATO troops. But police officers in both locations believe the drivers carried out the actions for financial reasons.

In one incident, police believe the driver removed oil and sold it on the black market before setting it on fire, according to Officer Aman Sher at the Mamraiz police station.

In the other, police suspect that the driver and the owner of the shipping company might have devised a scheme to get insurance money from the accident and blame it on terrorism, Officer Mir Hassan said.