Taliban: Bombs avenge Al-Qaeda arrests

The Pakistani Taliban has claimed responsibility for twin suicide bombs in Quetta on Tuesday that killed at least 24 people, saying it was to avenge the recent arrests of Al-Qaeda 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 Monday, of Younis al-Mauritani -- believed to be a senior Al-Qaeda leader who had planned attacks abroad -- and two others, he said "Yes."