Tehrik-e-Taliban claims responsibility for Air-force Attack
Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) have accepted responsibility for the attack on Air-force base in Peshawar, Pakistan on friday. TTP ratified that the attack was an answer to Pakistan's military operation against them in tribal regions at the Afghan border. In a statement released to the media, Mohamad Khurasani, a spokesperson for TTP stated that they would provide details about the attackers and the attack later.
What is Tehrik-e-Taliban?
Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is an umbrella organization of various Islamist militant groups based in the northwestern frontier of the Afghan border in Pakistan. In December 2007, around 13 groups united under the leadership of Baittullah Mehsudto to form the TTP. Their primary objectives are resistance against Pakistan state, enforcement of their interpretation of sharia, and a plan to unite against NATO-led forces in Afghanistan.
Previous deadly attack by TTP
On 16 December 2014, the Tehrik-e-Taliban militants caused a massacre in the Army Public School at Peshawar, Pakistan. The attack killed almost 150 people, out of which 132 were children. There have been innumerable terrorist-attacks in Pakistan since 2001 but statistics say that the number of attacks in Pakistan has fallen by 70% this year as the military has been fighting Taliban-militants at Afghan-border.
The Peshawar air-force base-camp attack!
Tehrik-e-Taliban-Pakistan carried out a ghastly attack on a base-camp of Pakistan Air-Force (PAF) at Peshawar. The TTP militants stormed from two sides and divided themselves into three groups, of which one group attacked people praying in the mosque in the morning. Attackers entered wearing explosive-jackets, carrying AK-47 rifles, grenades and mortars. Locals reported that they heard several explosions inside the base-camp in the morning-hours.
Terrorist attacked non-operational facility
The facility that the terrorists attacked is not operational presently. It had been used in the past by US for surveillance and espionage activities against former Soviet Union.
Army strikes back: the sinister encounters!
In the encounter that followed the attack, 13 terrorists were shot dead. According to photos released by the media, they were all 17-23 years, wearing white shoes and uniforms of Frontier Constabulary, a parliamentary-force. Also, 2 army officers and 8 soldiers were severely injured during exchange of fire with the terrorists. Helicopters hovered above the base-camp and ambulances contantly carried the dead and injured.
The heart-wrenching death toll!
A total of 42 people were killed and 30 injured during the episode. Attackers killed 16 people praying inside the mosque, an army-captain, and 3 PAF-technicians. A military-run hospital in Peshawar stated that almost 29 dead-bodies were brought there, out of which 3 were beyond recognition. More than 20-coffins were seen at the Army headquarters where Nawaz Sharif and Army Chief participated in funeral-prayers.
Prime Minister's condemnation
Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif condemned the attack and said, "Terrorists will be rooted out from the country."
