MIRAMSHAH: The outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) on Monday claimed responsibility for the attack on Karachi airport in revenge for the killing of their leader. Hakeemullah Mehsud died in a US drone strike in November.

“We carried out the attack on Karachi airport to avenge the death of Hakeemullah Mehsud,” TTP spokesman Shahidullah Shahid told AFP.

“[The] Pakistan [government] used peace talks as a tool of war; it killed hundreds of innocent tribal women and children. This is our first attack to avenge the death of Hakeemullah Mehsud,” he said.

“It’s just the beginning, we have taken revenge for one, we have to take revenge for hundreds.”

Umar Media, the media wing of the TTP, claimed on their Facebook page that just six militants had attacked the airport.

The biggest reason for attacking Karachi airport is because it serves as the biggest air logistics centre supplying goods for the war in Afghanistan and Pakistan, says the statement on Facebook page.

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2014