At least six people, including paramilitary troops, were killed and more than 25 injured in a bomb attack on Saturday in Pakistan’s Balochistan province.
The attack targeted a bus carrying paramilitary troops of the Frontier Corps (FC) as it traveled from Karachi to Turbat, about seven kilometers west of the city.
“At least six people, including FC soldiers and civilians, were killed in a bomb attack on a bus,” Rashid-ur-Rehman, a senior local police official, was quoted as saying by the AFP news agency.
The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the attack. Jeeyand Baloch, a spokesman for the group, said the attack targeted a convoy of Pakistani army personnel.
“The exact details of the explosion are being investigated, but a police officer said that senior police officer SSP Zohaib Mohsin was on the bus along with his family and could have been the target,” said a senior police officer. quoted by news agency PTI. . The senior police officer and his family were part of a wedding party on the bus.
The BLA often claims responsibility for attacks against security forces and non-local Pakistanis, specifically those in Punjab, Balochistan province.
Pakistan has seen an increase in attacks in recent months, especially in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The army reported that in 2024 alone, 383 soldiers and 925 militants have been killed in various clashes.
Balochistan, which borders Afghanistan and Iran, has faced decades of sectarian, ethnic and separatist violence. Militants in the region have also attacked foreign-funded energy projects, accusing outside groups of exploiting the area’s natural resources and neglecting local residents.
In November, separatists claimed responsibility for a bomb attack at the Quetta train station that killed at least 26 people, including 14 soldiers. In August, the BLA carried out coordinated attacks involving dozens of attackers, killing at least 39 people, one of the highest numbers in recent years.
