At least 23 people were killed and about 70 others injured in a major attack on Sunday morning after a suicide bomber attacked a train in Pakistan, according to the Associated Press (AP).
The attack – in Quetta, the capital of southwestern Balochistan province – occurred when a car packed with explosives exploded near a railway track as a train passed, causing two train cars to overturn and catch fire.
The region has long been the scene of low-level but ongoing insurgency involving various factions and opposition groups.
The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), a terrorist group fighting for the province’s secession from Pakistan, reportedly claimed responsibility, saying it targeted a train carrying security forces.
The Times of India reported that the train was carrying military personnel and family members from Quetta to Peshawar for the Eid holidays; The AP reported extensively that the BLA said it targeted a train carrying security guards. The area is also known for having tight security.
The explosion reportedly shocked people in the area.
According to witnesses and photos shared on social media, the force of the explosion caused two train cars to overturn and burst into flames, sending black smoke into the sky, AP said.
Nearby buildings were also heavily damaged, and more than a dozen vehicles were also affected, the store said.
It is reported that many victims have been transported to local hospitals. Of the wounded, about 20 were reported to be in critical condition, according to doctors cited by the AP.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the attack, calling it a “terrorist act of terrorism” and said those who did this will face the law.
“I strongly condemn the horrific bomb blast near Chaman Phatak, Quetta, which resulted in the tragic loss of innocent lives and left many injured. Such acts of terrorism cannot weaken the resolve of the people of Pakistan. We remain steadfast in our determination to eradicate terrorism in all its forms and manifestations,” he said.
“I offer my condolences to the families of the deceased and pray for the speedy recovery of the injured. The entire nation stands with the people of Balochistan in this time of grief.”
Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti alleges that the group is backed by Indian-sponsored proxies aimed at discrediting Pakistan. The two countries have long been locked in a bitter dispute over territorial claims in Kashmir, although India has consistently denied the allegations.
“Fitna Al-Hindustan terrorists are showing cruelty by targeting innocent civilians, women and children,” Bugti said, describing the group as “evil from India.”
“Those who shed the blood of innocent people deserve no mercy. Let’s hear this enemy: there will be no safe haven for terrorists in Balochistan. We will hunt down terrorists, their instigators, and their masterminds one by one and bring them to justice, and this war will continue until the last terrorist is eliminated.”
The BLA has increasingly carried out large-scale suicide attacks targeting Pakistani security forces and infrastructure in Quetta, according to The Times of India.
In 2024, at least 26 people, including soldiers, were killed in a bomb blast at a railway station in Balochistan.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
