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Pakistani Taliban claim responsibility for twin attacks

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Islamabad, May 13, IRNA -- Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for twin bomb attacks on a training center of security forces in the country’s northwest, which according to official killed 55 security men and three civilians.

Geo TV reported that a Taliban spokesman called media outlets and claimed responsibility for the attacks on the main training center of Frontier Constabulary (FC), a militia force to maintain security in the country.

The Friday attack is the deadliest after the killing of the al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden by the US Special Forces in Pakistan's northwestern city of Abbottabad on May 2.

Al-Qaeda and Pakistan Taliban had vowed to avenge the death of bin Laden.

Commandant of the FC, Akbar Hoti, told reporters at the site of the attacks in the northwestern town of Shabqadar, that 55 FC men and three civilians were killed while over 100 people, mostly FC personnel were injured.

Earlier District Coordination Officer Nisar Marwat said that 68 personnel from the Frontier Constabulary (FC) were killed and over 100 were injured. Local TV channels said that death toll has reached 70.

FC falls under the federal government and perform security duties across the country, mostly in northwest and southwestern parts of the country.

The force also performs anti-terror duties and has carried out several successful raids against the militants.

A police officer in the region, Jehanzb Khan, said that FC recruits were targeted who had completed training and were supposed to be deployed on duties after a 10-day holidays.

Police sources said that the attackers had intelligence about the timings of the FC men, who were set to go homes on holidays before formally assuming duties.

Officials said that the slain FC men were among the batch of 818 personnel who had recently completed one-year training and were ready to assume duties after holidays.

Hoti said that the first attack was carried out by a motorcyclist who struck the group of new recruits, who had gathered at the center to proceed to homes in coaches. The second blast took place just a minute after the first attack.