Tashkent — A previously unknown Islamic group claimed responsibility Sunday for a recent string of bombings and shootings that killed at least 47 people in Uzbekistan.
In a statement posted on at least three militant Islamic Web sites, the Jihad Islamic Group said the attacks were launched in retaliation for the secular Uzbek regime's oppression of devout Muslims.
It was the first publicized claim of responsibility for the four days of explosions, suicide attacks and assaults on police that began March 28.
The attacks killed 10 police officers and four civilians. Thirty-three alleged terrorists were also killed in the attacks that Uzbek officials have blamed on international terrorists linked to al-Qaeda.
"The Jihad Islamic Group is responsible for all the jihad operations that took place and are still going on in the Islamic state of Uzbekistan," the statement said.
"These operations came as a response to the injustice and brutality practiced by the infidel leaders in this country," the statement said.
Thousands of religious Uzbek Muslims have reportedly been jailed in recent years for practicing Islam outside government-sanctioned institutions, according to Uzbek and international human rights groups.
The statement from the Jihad Islamic Group said Muslims are "tortured and imprisoned as a way to terrorize and degrade them."
Uzbekistan's top prosecutor said Friday that the militants behind the attacks were taught by Arab al-Qaeda instructors.
According to the prosecutor, 45 people had been arrested in connection with the attacks and nine more had been detained for questioning.
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