ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Taliban on Friday claimed responsibility for twin bomb attacks on a training centre of security forces in the country’s northwest, which killed 68 security personnel, more than 10 civilians and injured over 100 others.
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 paramilitary force to maintain security in the country.
The Friday attack is the deadliest after the killing of the al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden by the U.S. 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.
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, reports China’s Xinhua news agency.
FC falls under the federal government and performs 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 of the batch of 818 personnel who had recently completed one-year training and were ready to assume duties after holidays. – Bernama