Taliban Torch 50 Trucks in NATO Supply Convoy

In a bold attack on the allied military supply chain in Afghanistan, Taliban gunmen last night torched a convoy of 50 NATO supply trucks in Pakistan, killing at least seven people. The gunmen ambushed the convoy on the outskirts of Islamabad, killed drivers and security guards, then set the vehicles on fire. While western supply convoys are often attacked near the Afghanistan border, yesterday's ambush was the first in the vicinity of the Pakistani capital.

The assault sparked scrutiny of the security situation in Islamabad, where the Taliban stepped up their offensive last year. Currently, more than 75% of military supplies for western troops in Afghanistan pass through Pakistan. Militant attacks along this route have prompted the US to consider alternative trucking routes through Central Asia, though these would likely entail negotiations with Russia, the Guardian reports.
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