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'Scores die' in Afghan explosion | 'Scores die' in Afghan explosion |
(31 minutes later) | |
At least 90 people have been killed after Nato air strike blew up a fuel tanker hijacked by the Taliban in northern Afghanistan, officials say. | |
Nato confirmed to the BBC that the airstrike happened in Kunduz province on the main road to Baghlan. | |
The governor of Kunduz told the BBC at least two tanker which were full of jet fuel had been hijacked. | |
He said senior Taliban commanders were killed. Witnesses said villagers scavenging for fuel also died. | |
District police chief Basharyar Parwani told AFP news agency that Taliban insurgents tried to drive away a tanker that they hijacked on a highway. | |
"The fuel tanker got stuck in the river. There were local civilians with them as well. The Taliban were bombed," Mr Parwani said. | "The fuel tanker got stuck in the river. There were local civilians with them as well. The Taliban were bombed," Mr Parwani said. |
One of the drivers of the tankers told the BBC that two of his colleagues had been beheaded when the Taliban carried out the hijacking. | |
Kunduz province Governor Mohammad Omar said most of the dead were Taliban fighters, although other sources says many villagers had been killed while collecting fuel from the tankers. | |
Seriously burned people are crowding a hospital in Kunduz, AFP reported. | Seriously burned people are crowding a hospital in Kunduz, AFP reported. |
Rush for fuel | |
Witness Mohammad Daud, 32, told AFP that the militants had been trying to transport the tankers across a river to villages in Angorbagh. | |
"They managed to take one of the tankers over the river. The second got stuck so they told villagers to come and take the diesel," he said. | |
"Villagers rushed to the fuel tanker with any available container that they had, including water buckets and pots for cooking oil. | |
"There were 10 to 15 Taliban on top of the tanker. This was when they were bombed. Everyone around the fuel tanker died." | |
Are you in the area? Did you see the blast? Tell us about what you have seen by filling in the form below. | Are you in the area? Did you see the blast? Tell us about what you have seen by filling in the form below. |
The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions | The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions |