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| Many die in Afghan tanker blasts | |
| (11 minutes later) | |
| At least 90 people have been killed after a Nato air strike blew up two fuel tankers hijacked by the Taliban in northern Afghanistan, officials say. | |
| Nato confirmed to the BBC that an air strike happened in Kunduz province on the main road to Baghlan. | |
| The governor of Kunduz told the BBC senior Taliban commanders were killed. Witnesses said villagers also died. | |
| A spokesman for the Nato-led coalition said it was investigating reports of civilian deaths. | |
| The International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) spokesman in Kabul told the BBC two fuel tankers had been stolen on Thursday night. | |
| Isaf forces saw the tankers on the banks of the Kunduz river and the local Isaf commander ordered an air strike in which both tankers were destroyed, the spokesman said. | |
| The spokesman said a number of "insurgents" were killed. | |
| 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. | 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 say 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 | 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. | 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. | "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. | "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." | "There were 10 to 15 Taliban on top of the tanker. This was when they were bombed. Everyone around the fuel tanker died." |
| The incident came days after the top US general in Afghanistan called for a fresh approach to the conflict. | |
| "The situation in Afghanistan is serious, but success is achievable and demands a revised implementation strategy, commitment and resolve, and increased unity of effort," Gen Stanley McChrystal wrote. | |
| 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 |