The Pakistani Taliban has claimed responsibility for twin suicide bombs in Quetta on Wednesday that killed at least 24 people, saying they were to avenge the arrests of al-Qaida operatives.
"We carried out the attacks," Taliban spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan told AFP in a phone call from an undisclosed location.
He said the two bombs, which also wounded 82 people, were "to avenge the arrest of our mujahedin brothers by Pakistani security forces in Quetta recently".
Asked whether he was referring to the arrests, announced on Monday, of Younis al-Mauritani - believed to be a senior al-Qaida leader who had planned attacks abroad - and two others, he said "Yes".
"We will launch a bigger attack in future," Ehsan said.
Pakistan said on Monday that its forces had arrested al-Mauritani, described as a senior al-Qaida leader believed to have been responsible for planning attacks on the United States, Europe and Australia.
He was picked up in the suburbs of Quetta - the main town in southwestern Baluchistan Province, bordering Afghanistan and Iran - along with two other high-ranking operatives after the US and Pakistani spy agencies joined forces.
The twin suicide bombs on Wednesday targeted Pakistan's paramilitary force, the Frontier Corps which was responsible for the capture of the al-Qaida operatives, police said.
One attacker detonated his bomb-laden car outside the residence of the deputy chief of the Frontier Corps in Quetta city, before a second attacker blew himself up inside the house, said senior police official Hamid Shakil.
Questions:
1. Who claimed responsibility for the attack?
2. How many people died?
3. Who was targeted in the attack?
Answers:
1. Pakistani Taliban.
2. 24.
3. Frontier Corps.
(中国日报网英语点津 Helen 编辑)
About the broadcaster:
Lee Hannon is Chief Editor at China Daily with 15-years experience in print and broadcast journalism. Born in England, Lee has traveled extensively around the world as a journalist including four years as a senior editor in Los Angeles. He now lives in Beijing and is happy to move to China and join the China Daily team.