Small Bomb Damages NATO Oil Tanker in NW Pakistan

A Pakistani driver salvages some items inside an oil tanker that was attacked by suspected militants...

A Pakistani driver salvages some items inside an oil tanker that was attacked by suspected militants at a terminal in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Oct. 4, 2010. Islamist militants attacked and set fire to at least 20 tankers carrying oil for NATO and U.S. troops in Afghanistan on Monday, the third such strike inside Pakistan in as many days, police said.

(Aaron Favila/AP Photo)

A small bomb damaged a truck in northwestern Pakistan on Tuesday that was carrying oil to NATO troops in Afghanistan — the latest attack on stalled supply convoys since Pakistan shut a key border crossing to international forces last week.

The attacks have raised tensions that were already elevated by Pakistan's decision to close the Torkham crossing in apparent reaction to a series of alleged NATO helicopter attacks on Pakistani territory, including one that killed three Pakistani soldiers.

The bomb that exploded Tuesday was placed underneath the tanker while it was parked in a lot alongside more than 100 other trucks waiting to cross into Afghanistan, said Wajid Khan, a local administrator in the Khyber tribal region where the border crossing is located.

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The attack didn't result in any casualties, but the risk of fire was high since oil was leaking out of the damaged tanker, said Khan. Authorities moved other trucks away from the vehicle as a precaution, he said.

It was unclear who was behind the bombing, but the Pakistani Taliban have claimed responsibility for similar attacks on NATO supply convoys, including one before dawn Monday that killed four people.

There have been at least five attacks on the supply convoys since the Torkham closure — four of them that were heading to that crossing and one that was headed to another crossing that has remained open.

The events of the last week have exposed the often strained nature of the alliance between Pakistan and the United States. But analysts doubt it will reach a breaking point because each side is so reliant on each other.

In addition to safe passage for NATO supplies, the U.S. needs Pakistan to help target Taliban and al-Qaida militants who stage cross-border attacks against foreign troops in Afghanistan. In return, Pakistan receives billions of dollars in military and civilian assistance that help keep its economy afloat.