Thirteen people, eight of them women, were killed on Monday in a suicide bomb attack on the offices of Pakistan’s Special Investigative Unit (SIU) in Lahore.
With the Tehreek-e-Taliban claiming responsibility, the country braced itself for further strikes.
High profile arrests of TTP leaders and Al-Qaeda operatives, including Sunday’s arrest of an American Al Qaeda member initially thought to be spokesperson Adam Gadahn, have led to the militant organizations fighting back, said observers.
In Monday’s attack a car was rammed into the offices of the Special Investigative Unit (SIU), which has been instrumental in nabbing high profile terrorists. Most of the casualties were civilians who lived around the building or were innocent by-standers.
“We claim responsibility for the Lahore blast. We will continue such attacks in future,” Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) spokesman Azam Tariq told a media organization on telephone.
“The attack was to avenge (US) drone attacks and (Pakistani) military operations in the tribal areas,” the spokesman said.
Pakistan’s interior minister Rehman Malik said that the Taliban was“on its last legs.” He told reporters that the attacks of the Taliban were expected and that he feared many more in the coming days. At the same time he said that these were “desperate measures a desperate organization”.
{{/usCountry}}Pakistan’s interior minister Rehman Malik said that the Taliban was“on its last legs.” He told reporters that the attacks of the Taliban were expected and that he feared many more in the coming days. At the same time he said that these were “desperate measures a desperate organization”.
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