The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, saying the trucks carried fuel intended for U.S.-led NATO forces. Some Afghan media reported that insurgents had fired rockets at the tankers late on Friday but how the fire was stargted is not clear.
Although the number of tankers on fire is not yet clear, based on preliminary reports from police the Interior Ministry statement has stated around 200 tankers have been burnt,

The attack had happened as Afghanistan prepares to announce preliminary results of the final round of a presidential election on Monday in a tense atmosphere. Each of the two candidates vying to succeed President Hamid Karzai accuses the other of mass fraud.

The Taliban have vowed to disrupt the election process. On Thursday, militants fired rockets into Kabul's international airport, destroying a helicopter.(kh/dn)