TANKER SABOTAGE IS AN ECO CATASTROPHE
Fire 'catastrophe' destroys 100 fuel tankers on Afghanistan-Iran borderAt least 100 oil and gas tankers have been destroyed by fire in a "catastrophe" at Afghanistan's biggest trade crossing with Iran, causing millions of dollars of losses, officials said Sunday .
© HOSHANG HASHIMI The huge blaze at Islam Qala port has largely been extinguished and an investigation launched into its cause
The huge blaze, which broke out Saturday afternoon at Islam Qala port 120 kilometres (75 miles) from the western city of Herat, has been contained and an investigation launched into its cause.
"We were told that 100 or 200 tankers have been destroyed, but this number could be higher," Jailani Farhad, spokesman for the governor of Herat province, said after visiting the scene.
During the blaze looters descended on the site, stealing goods that were being imported and exported across the border, Younus Qazi Zada, the head of the Herat Chamber of Commerce said.
500 vehicles in flames after fuel tanker explodes on Afghanistan-Iran border
More than 500 vehicles burst into flames at the Afghanistan-Iranian border Saturday afternoon after a fuel truck there exploded, provincial officials told Afghanistan's TOLO News.
The huge blaze, which broke out Saturday afternoon at Islam Qala port 120 kilometres (75 miles) from the western city of Herat, has been contained and an investigation launched into its cause.
"We were told that 100 or 200 tankers have been destroyed, but this number could be higher," Jailani Farhad, spokesman for the governor of Herat province, said after visiting the scene.
During the blaze looters descended on the site, stealing goods that were being imported and exported across the border, Younus Qazi Zada, the head of the Herat Chamber of Commerce said.
© HOSHANG HASHIMI
Islam Qala is one of the major ports in Afghanistan, through
which most official trade with Iran is conducted
"The catastrophe was much bigger than imagined," he said, adding: "Unfortunately, irresponsible people have looted a large number of goods."
Qazi Zada said initial estimates were of "millions of dollars of losses".
Farhad added that investigators needed more time to examine the extent of damage.
Videos posted on social media on Saturday night showed the towering fire and huge clouds of thick black smoke billowing into the sky.
On Sunday security forces opened fire on a vehicle, killing one man, after the driver failed to stop at a checkpost that had been hastily set up to prevent suspected looters from entering what was left of the customs office compound
"The catastrophe was much bigger than imagined," he said, adding: "Unfortunately, irresponsible people have looted a large number of goods."
Qazi Zada said initial estimates were of "millions of dollars of losses".
Farhad added that investigators needed more time to examine the extent of damage.
Videos posted on social media on Saturday night showed the towering fire and huge clouds of thick black smoke billowing into the sky.
On Sunday security forces opened fire on a vehicle, killing one man, after the driver failed to stop at a checkpost that had been hastily set up to prevent suspected looters from entering what was left of the customs office compound
.
© HOSHANG HASHIMI
Damage to power lines from the incident left large parts of Herat province without power on Sunday
An AFP photographer said hundreds of people had gathered at the site, trying to get access to the trucks.
Video: Huge blasts on Afghanistan-Iran border (Reuters)
Around 20 people were injured in the fire, according to Herat health officials.
The finance ministry said early findings suggested the blaze started in a tanker before quickly spreading and causing "heavy financial losses" -- including fuel, tankers and customs facilities.
Damage to power lines from the incident left large parts of Herat province without power on Sunday.
- Trucks fled over the border -
Islam Qala is one of the major ports in Afghanistan, through which most official trade with Iran is conducted.
Kabul has waivers from Washington allowing it to import oil and gas from Iran despite US sanctions.
Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said the border "was held open for trucks, cars and people running from the fire".
Afghanistan's vice president Amrullah Saleh said hundreds of trucks were allowed to enter Iran to escape the fire.
Traders have been asked to use alternative border crossings.
The Taliban has regularly attacked fuel tankers they suspect of supplying foreign troops in the country.
In 2014, the hardline group destroyed more than 200 fuel trucks on Kabul's outskirts in an attack.
There was no indication that militants were behind Saturday's blaze.
However, insurgents assaulted a nearby security post shortly after the blaze broke out, taking advantage of the situation, Farhad said Saturday.
Security forces have been deployed around the port area.
Afghanistan has been hit by a surge in violence despite ongoing peace talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government, which have so far failed to achieve a breakthrough.
The rise in violence has led US President Joe Biden's administration to launch a review of a deal signed between Washington and the terror group last year that paved the way for the withdrawal of all American troops in the coming months.
str-mam-us/ecl/je
An AFP photographer said hundreds of people had gathered at the site, trying to get access to the trucks.
Video: Huge blasts on Afghanistan-Iran border (Reuters)
Around 20 people were injured in the fire, according to Herat health officials.
The finance ministry said early findings suggested the blaze started in a tanker before quickly spreading and causing "heavy financial losses" -- including fuel, tankers and customs facilities.
Damage to power lines from the incident left large parts of Herat province without power on Sunday.
- Trucks fled over the border -
Islam Qala is one of the major ports in Afghanistan, through which most official trade with Iran is conducted.
Kabul has waivers from Washington allowing it to import oil and gas from Iran despite US sanctions.
Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said the border "was held open for trucks, cars and people running from the fire".
Afghanistan's vice president Amrullah Saleh said hundreds of trucks were allowed to enter Iran to escape the fire.
Traders have been asked to use alternative border crossings.
The Taliban has regularly attacked fuel tankers they suspect of supplying foreign troops in the country.
In 2014, the hardline group destroyed more than 200 fuel trucks on Kabul's outskirts in an attack.
There was no indication that militants were behind Saturday's blaze.
However, insurgents assaulted a nearby security post shortly after the blaze broke out, taking advantage of the situation, Farhad said Saturday.
Security forces have been deployed around the port area.
Afghanistan has been hit by a surge in violence despite ongoing peace talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government, which have so far failed to achieve a breakthrough.
The rise in violence has led US President Joe Biden's administration to launch a review of a deal signed between Washington and the terror group last year that paved the way for the withdrawal of all American troops in the coming months.
str-mam-us/ecl/je
500 vehicles in flames after fuel tanker explodes on Afghanistan-Iran border
More than 500 vehicles burst into flames at the Afghanistan-Iranian border Saturday afternoon after a fuel truck there exploded, provincial officials told Afghanistan's TOLO News.
© AP Smoke rises from fuel tankers at Afghanistan's Islam Qala border with Iran, in Herat Province, on February 13, 2021.
The blaze took place at the customs office in Islam Qala, in Afghanistan's western province of Herat.
Photos from the scene show tall flames and plumes of thick black smoke, visible even from a distance.
At least 17 people were injured and taken to the Islam Qala clinic and Herat Regional Hospital, according to Mohammad Rafiq Sherzai, spokesman for the Herat public health department. No further information is available yet on casualties.
"Everyone was terrified. They were escaping. Cars were stuck," eyewitness Khalil Ahmad told TOLO News.
Herat Gov. Waheed Qatali said officials had sought help from Iran, as the Afghan side lacked the resources to put out the huge blaze.
Iran will dispatch relief and rescue teams to the region to assist in the emergency response efforts, as requested by Herat officials, according to the Iranian state-run IRNA news agency.
Iranian state-run Press TV reported that the damage was on the Afghan side of the border and did not affect Iranian customs.
"Up to now there has been no report about damage on Dogharoon border terminal," said Omid Jahankhah, supervisor of customs offices in Iran's Razavi Khorasan province, according to Press TV.
According to Press TV, Iran is a major supplier of goods to Afghanistan and that the terminals are often packed with fuel tankers.
The blaze took place at the customs office in Islam Qala, in Afghanistan's western province of Herat.
Photos from the scene show tall flames and plumes of thick black smoke, visible even from a distance.
At least 17 people were injured and taken to the Islam Qala clinic and Herat Regional Hospital, according to Mohammad Rafiq Sherzai, spokesman for the Herat public health department. No further information is available yet on casualties.
"Everyone was terrified. They were escaping. Cars were stuck," eyewitness Khalil Ahmad told TOLO News.
Herat Gov. Waheed Qatali said officials had sought help from Iran, as the Afghan side lacked the resources to put out the huge blaze.
Iran will dispatch relief and rescue teams to the region to assist in the emergency response efforts, as requested by Herat officials, according to the Iranian state-run IRNA news agency.
Iranian state-run Press TV reported that the damage was on the Afghan side of the border and did not affect Iranian customs.
"Up to now there has been no report about damage on Dogharoon border terminal," said Omid Jahankhah, supervisor of customs offices in Iran's Razavi Khorasan province, according to Press TV.
According to Press TV, Iran is a major supplier of goods to Afghanistan and that the terminals are often packed with fuel tankers.
© AP A fuel tanker exploded on February 13 at the Afghanistan-Iran border.
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