Taliban commander Swati claims responsibility for Peshawar blast on Shia Muslims

Confirming reports about the lack of coordination between the different tiers of the notorious Takfiri terrorist outfit Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the head of the Peshawar chapter of the outlawed terrorist organization has belatedly claimed responsibility for the Koocha Risaldar suicide bombing in the city on Shiite Muslims in which nine Shia Muslims were martyred and around 50 were wounded late Tuesday evening.

Mufti Hassan Swati, claiming to be the head of the TTP’s Peshawar chapter, claimed responsibility for the attack in a phone call to reporters from an undisclosed location. He is said to be a commander of the Swat section of the TTP that was led by Maulana Fazlullah, who became the militant group’s central head after the death of Hakimullah Mahsud in a US drone strike in North Waziristan on November 1 last year.

When reminded that the TTP central spokesman Shahidullah Shahid had earlier denied the organization’s involvement in the suicide bombing in a Shia-populated locality in Peshawar on Tuesday, Mufti Hassan Swati said Shahid was unaware of the attack by the TTP Peshawar branch at the time. In reply to a question as to why the attack was launched when the TTP is holding peace talks with the government, he argued that the talks were underway but there is no ceasefire yet. He warned that the attacks would continue until a ceasefire is announced.