QUETTA, Pakistan (AP) — Early Sunday, a substantial explosive device detonated adjacent to a railway line in Quetta, southwestern Pakistan, as a passenger train traversed the area, resulting in injuries to over two dozen individuals, officials reported. The force of the blast was so significant that it caused two carriages of the train to overturn and ignite, emitting plumes of dense black smoke, as evidenced by online footage. The incident occurred in a location typically monitored by security forces. The explosion inflicted severe damage on several nearby structures and destroyed over a dozen vehicles parked alongside the thoroughfare, according to eyewitness accounts and imagery circulating on social media. Medical personnel at local health facilities confirmed admitting more than 30 injured individuals, some of whom are in critical condition. The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), a proscribed organization advocating for secession from Pakistan’s federal authority, has claimed responsibility for the assault via a statement disseminated to journalists. The militant faction asserted that its target was a train conveying security personnel. Quetta serves as the capital of Balochistan province, a region frequently affected by insurgency. This area, abundant in oil and minerals, has long been a focal point of low-intensity conflict. Insurgents have consistently directed their attacks towards security forces, governmental infrastructure, and civilians within the province and other parts of the nation. Shahid Rind, spokesperson for the Balochistan provincial government, declared, “We unequivocally condemn the targeting of innocent civilians and are profoundly distressed by the tragic loss of valuable human lives. Terrorist elements warrant no clemency.” He further stated that a medical emergency was instituted at Quetta hospitals following the explosion, and an inquiry has been initiated. Despite Pakistani authorities’ assertions that the insurgency has been suppressed, violence in Balochistan continues. In a separate incident earlier in 2024, at least 26 people, including military personnel, perished when a suicide bomber attacked a train station in Balochistan.
