18 April 2005	Monday	08 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1426

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KANDAHAR, April 17: A bomb planted by Taliban militants destroyed five trucks carrying oil for the US military in Afghanistan and wounded three drivers, a senior Afghan army official said. The pre-dawn blast destroyed one of the trucks parked outside Kandahar airbase — a major US military base in southern Afghanistan — and caused four others to catch fire, said General Muslim Hamid, army corps commander for Kandahar province.

“Three drivers of the tankers have been critically wounded in the incident,” he said, adding the three were from Pakistan.

Taliban attacks have picked up following a winter lull after the militants failed in their vow to disrupt October elections. But activity is down on past years, fuelling speculation that the movement may be struggling to find recruits and resources.

The attack on the oil tankers came a day after the Taliban triggered a remote-control explosive device that injured nine Afghan government soldiers in a passing car in Zabul province, district chief Wazir Mohammad told Reuters.

Taliban spokesman Abdul Latif Hakimi confirmed the rebels were behind both attacks.

MINE BLAST: Six Afghans in a United Nations’ vehicle were injured when a mine exploded under their car in southern Afghanistan, the US military said on Sunday.—Reuters/AFP