A powerful bomb exploded near a railway track in Quetta, Pakistan, on Sunday, overturning two cars of a passenger train and wounding more than two dozen people, officials said.
Details of the Attack
The explosion occurred as the train passed through the southwestern city of Quetta, the capital of insurgency-hit Balochistan province. The force of the blast caused two train cars to overturn and catch fire, sending thick black smoke into the air, according to footage shared online.
Witnesses reported that the attack took place in an area where security forces are usually stationed. The explosion badly damaged several nearby buildings and smashed vehicles parked along the road, as seen in images circulating on social media.
Casualties and Response
Doctors at local hospitals said they had received more than 30 wounded people, several of them in critical condition. Balochistan government official Babar Yousafzai stated that authorities were still investigating the blast but provided no further details.
Security personnel and residents were seen rescuing injured blast victims from the derailed carriages, according to images from the scene.
Background of Insurgency
Balochistan, rich in oil and minerals, has long been the scene of a low-level insurgency. Separatist groups such as the outlawed Baloch Liberation Army have demanded independence from Pakistan’s central government. These insurgents have frequently targeted security forces, government installations, and civilians in the province and elsewhere in the country.
No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.
