QUETTA, Pakistan — At least 23 people were killed and 71 others injured after a suicide bombing struck near a railway station in Quetta, a city in southwestern Pakistan, as a train was passing through, authorities said.
DEADLY EXPLOSION HITS RAILWAY AREA
Initial findings from investigators indicate that the blast was carried out as a suicide attack, according to police officials.
The explosion caused widespread destruction in the area and triggered an emergency response as rescue teams rushed to the scene.
Authorities have since secured the area while bomb disposal units and security personnel continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the attack.
CASUALTIES EXPECTED TO RISE
Rescue officials said at least 23 bodies had been recovered, while dozens of injured passengers were taken to hospitals for treatment.
Hospitals in Quetta were placed on emergency status as medical teams worked to respond to the influx of casualties.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Qadir Qambrani said the number of fatalities and injuries could still increase, noting that more than 100 individuals are believed to have been killed or injured, although verification efforts remain ongoing.
WITNESS RECALLS MOMENT OF EXPLOSION
A survivor who was near the railway tracks during the blast described the incident as overwhelming and said the force of the explosion was massive.
The witness said he was grateful to have escaped alive after the incident unfolded within moments.
SEPARATIST GROUP CLAIMS RESPONSIBILITY
The militant group Baloch Liberation Army claimed responsibility for the attack.
The organization has long sought independence from Pakistan’s central government and has carried out previous attacks across the region.
PAKISTAN OFFICIALS CONDEMN ATTACK
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the incident, calling it a brutal act of terrorism and saying such attacks would not weaken the country’s resolve.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also traveled to Quetta following the explosion and met with local officials, expressing support for victims and residents affected by the attack.
Background: Violence in Balochistan
Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest province and a region rich in oil and mineral resources, has experienced decades of unrest linked to separatist movements.
The Baloch Liberation Army has repeatedly claimed responsibility for attacks in the province, including large-scale bombings and coordinated assaults.
Earlier this year, the group also claimed involvement in suicide and armed attacks in Balochistan that Pakistani authorities said resulted in dozens of deaths.