ISLAMABAD: At least eight people were killed and six others sustained injuries when a group of militants attacked a convoy in the federal capital area that was ready to take supplies for Nato forces fighting in Afghanistan.

The Capital City Police with Elite Force and Rangers have cordoned off the area and started a search operation in and around Sang Jani but no arrest was reported till the filing of this report.

Unidentified armed men opened fire at a convoy of over 30 vehicles including trailers carrying supplies and vehicles and tankers carrying oil for the Nato forces in Afghanistan near Sang Jani, a few kilometres short of Taxila on the Grand Trunk (GT) Road at around mid-night on Tuesday.

All the vehicles caught fire and despite all out efforts by the fire fighters rushed to the spot by the Disaster Management Directorate of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and the Rawalpindi Municipal Authority, the fire could not be brought under control for late.

According to very initial assessment by the Islamabad Police there seems to be at least six assailants who opened fire at these trailers from different directions. A small contingent of the Islamabad Police from Tarnol police station rushed to the spot but were unable to get any closer because of heavy firing by the terrorists who attacked the vehicles when the convey was about to leave the yard where they were loaded during the day.

Inspector General of Islamabad Police Syed Kaleem Imam told Geo news that apparently the terrorists came from Taxila direction, riding on motorbikes and they also had the back-up support. “After attacking the convoy and setting the vehicles on fire these terrorists continued to fire indiscriminately to prevent any rescue and relief operation,” the IGP said.

He also said that the suppliers of Nato had very poor security in goods loading yard, which caused this attack on their supplies. “They had their own security system in place and we (Islamabad Police) were not approached for providing them any protection,” Kaleem Imam said.

Media reported that during the day these oil tankers were filled from the local oil terminal while other supplies, including vehicles and other items, were also loaded on the trailers. It was at around mid-night that this convoy was ready to start heading for Peshawar on way to Torkham to cross into Afghanistan that the terrorists struck.

Eyewitnesses said that at least 15 attackers riding double cabin vehicles and motorcycles and equipped with sophisticated weapons reached the yard at about 12: 00 midnight and opened firing at Nato ling wheelers, adding that they were carrying hand grenades and patrol bombs and they hurled patrol bombs at oil tankers and set it on fire one by one.

The police claimed that the terrorists were still in the area and continued shooting at the trailers and oil tankers for over an hour during enflaming the long wheelers. The law enforcing agencies were chasing the terrorists who are scattered in the area and trying to hunt them down.

The police sources told media that among the dead two drivers — Muhammad Aslam belonging to Mianwali and Muhammad Arif (Islamabad) — could be identified while one was unidentified, adding that Irfan Haider son of Ghulam Baqar, among six, was in critical condition.