Car on fire as Panetta lands in Helmand

KABUL): A car exploded into flames near the runway of British airfield on Wednesday afternoon, as US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta landed in southern Helmand province for a visit.

“ISAF is aware of a stolen vehicle incident today at Camp Bastion, which resulted in the injury of one coalition service member,” an   International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) statement said.

At no point was the secretary or anyone on the aircraft in any danger due to this incident, added the statement.

The alleged perpetrator was apprehended by security personnel at the base and is under interrogation, said ISAF.

Meanwhile, Helmand governor’s spokesman, Daud Ahmadi, said that a worker at the base crashed the vehicle into a power pylon causing the car to burst into flames in the airfield

There was no any attempt on the life of visiting Panetta, he added.

Panetta flew to Afghanistan in an unannounced trip and visited  Helmand, where he held talks with local officials on pressing security issues.

Panetta arrived at a time when Afghanistan was grappling with a series of security disturbances, the latest being the killing of 16 civilians in Panjwai district in Kandahar by a US soldier. 

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