Escalation

NATO Tankers Attacked in Pakistan

Were carrying fuel for Afghanistan troops.

A sign that insurgents are expanding their influence was visible in Pakistan on Friday, as militants set ablaze more than two dozen NATO oil tankers carrying fuel to allied troops in Afghanistan. Transportation routes in Pakistan are vital to American operations in the region, as almost 80 percent of fuel and other non-weaponry gets to Afghanistan via Pakistan. The attack highlights an increasing amount of hostility in Pakistan toward NATO troops; on Thursday, a border crossing often used by allied forces was closed. The tankers that were set on fire on Friday had been re-routed. Fortunately, there were no casualties reported.