Taliban militants have claimed responsibility for the deadly suicide bombing at the heavily secured compound of the UN food agency in Islamabad. The group claims that international relief efforts in Pakistan are not in “the interest of Muslims”.
The said attack, which was carried out on Monday and which killed five World Food Program workers, had pushed the UN to temporarily close down its offices in the country. It also exposed the susceptibility of several worldwide relief agencies that help civilians affected by the ongoing fight between Islamic militant groups and the government.
Rehman Malik, the Interior Minister of Pakistan, has accused the Talibans as the ones responsible for the attack in vengeance of the slaying of Baitullah Mehsud on 5 August. Mehsud is the leader of the Taliban umbrella group Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan.
In a telephone conversation with news agency The Associated Press, Taliban spokesman Azam Tariq confirmed that his group is responsible for the said attack.
“We proudly claim the responsibility for the suicide attack at the UN office in Islamabad. We will send more bombers for such attacks”, Tariq said.
“The UN and other foreign (aid groups) are not working for the interest of Muslims. We are watching their activities. They are infidels,” he added.
Tariq declared that the group will not target Muslim relief groups.
He, however, stated that their group’s future targets include government offices, American installations, and Pakistani security officials.
