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A pair of suicide bombers struck Aug. 21 at a key military facility in Pakistan near the garrison town of Rawalpindi and close to the capital of Islamabad, killing at least 60 people and wounding more than 200. The bombers, who were on foot, blew themselves up at the main gate of Pakistan Ordinance Factories (POF) — the country’s main weapons manufacturing facility. The incident took place during a shift change, and most of the casualties were factory workers.

Islamist militant group Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan quickly claimed responsibility for the twin bombings. A spokesman for the group said the attacks came in response to the use of air power by Pakistani security forces in the country’s Bajaur and Swat agencies. He appealed to civilians to stay away from security facilities and personnel, whom he said will continue to be targeted until the Pakistani state ceases its operations against the Taliban.

The attack on the POF represents yet another case of a highly sensitive military institution — in this instance, one employing some 30,000 workers and protected by considerable security — being targeted by the Pakistani Taliban, backed by their al Qaeda allies. As in previous such attacks, this would not have been possible without some help from inside.