Islamabad: Pakistani Taliban on Sunday claimed responsibility for an attack by a woman suicide bomber on the World Food Programme centre in the volatile tribal belt that killed 46 people, even as the food distribution center temporarily stopped its operations in the region.
Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan spokesman Azam Tariq claimed responsibility for yesterday's attack on the WFP food distribution centre at Khar, the headquarters of Bajaur tribal region. The bombing killed 46 people and injured over 80 others.
In the first attack of its kind, the woman bomber struck at a time when some 600 people had gathered at the centre to receive aid.
Tariq said the attack was directed against members of the Salarzai tribe because they had supported the army against Taliban.
The Salarzai tribe had formed a 'lashkar' or militia against Taliban and that is why they were targeted, he said.
"In future, we will also target those who support the government against us," Tariq said.
The Salarzai tribe is one of the major tribes of Bajaur Agency. The tribe had raised the first anti-Taliban militia in the region.
Meanwhile, WFP spokesman Amjad Jamal said the UN agency had temporarily stopped its food distribution operations in Bajaur after the suicide attack.
"We have not yet decided on a date for resuming the food distribution," he said, adding that a decision would be made after reviewing the security situation.
No staff member of the WFP was hurt in the attack and the victims were mostly civilians and security personnel.
Jamal said all WFP staff was still in the area and they will resume distribution of food among displaced people as soon as the situation becomes normal.
"We wanted to continue the operation but due to the imposition of curfew in the area, WFP workers were unable to move anywhere," he said.
The WFP is providing aid to 41,000 families affected by fighting between the army and Taliban militants during the past two years and many people are totally dependent on foreign aid.
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