Ehsanullah Ehsan, spokesperson for TTP JA

Ehsanullah Ehsan, spokesperson of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Taliban Jamaat -ul-Ahrar claimed responsibility for an improvised explosive device (IED) on a vehicle in Ambar tehsil of Mohmand Agency on Tuesday which killed 2 USAID officials, injuring 2 others.  He sent a statement to media which said,

“In Tehsil Ambar of Mohmand Agency, the mujahadeen of Jamaat ul Ahrar sent one official including his driver to hell of FATA (Federally Administered Tribal Area) secretariat. using a remote control bomb. Whereas in this attack, the Tehsildar of Tehsil Ambar, Faramosh Khan including four apostates (non believers) were injured. By the grace of Allah, the responsibility of this attack is accepted by Tehreek e Taliban Pakistan Jamaat ul Ahrar. Our attacks will continue till the enforcement of Islamic system. Allah Willing.”

Ehsanullah Ehsan TTP Jamaat ul Ahrar

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Earlier Dawn media reported,

“according to the political administration officials, tehsildar Faramosh Khan was on an anti-poppy drive in Ambar tehsil area along with Anti-Narcotics Force officials and USAID campaigners when an IED device planted on the roadside exploded.”

As a result of the explosion, the USAID campaigners were killed while tehsildar Faramosh and an ANF official sustained injuries.”

Pakistan Observer named the injured as, “Tehsildar Faramosh khan, Khasadar Rahmat Said, driver Abdul Ameen and one Aftab Khan, monitoring officer of anti-narcotics team” who were transported for treatment at Peshawar and Bajour agency hospitals.

It is unclear whether the US officials were an intended target and if their presence in the convoy was known before the incident. Khalid Khan, Cyber Journalist, working with Pakistan’s Largest Media Group pointed out, “US personnel normally hide their positions, movements etc”.

Carol Anne Grayson is an independent writer/researcher on global health/human rights/WOT and is Executive Producer of the Oscar nominated, Incident in New Baghdad.  She is a Registered Mental Nurse with a Masters in Gender Culture and Development. Carol was awarded the ESRC, Michael Young Prize for Research 2009, and the COTT ‘Action = Life’ Human Rights Award’ for “upholding truth and justice”. She is also a survivor of US “collateral damage”.