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Tankers loaded with oil for US troops catch fire, over 40 wounded

ISLAMABAD, March 23 (KUNA) -- An explosion in an oil tanker carrying fuel for US forces in the neighboring Afghanistan put nearby parked 25 tankers on fire that wounded over 40 persons on Sunday in a Pakistani bordering town, said officials.
About 25 tankers were parked near Pak-Afghan border in Landi Kotal town of Khyber tribal agency, an official at political administration told KUNA.
An explosion ripped through a tanker, putting it on fire which spread to 25 nearby parked tankers, said the official. He said there was stampede that wounded over 40 persons.
The official said an emergency has been declared in the hospitals and efforts were underway to extinguish the blaze.
It was not immediately clear what caused explosion in the first tanker and who was behind the incident. The official suspected local Taliban militants who had been targeting tankers carrying oil for US troops in the past. (end) amn.tg KUNA 232054 Mar 08NNNN