A devastating bomb blast in the southwestern Pakistani city of Quetta has killed at least 24 people and injured 70 others, after an explosion next to a railway track derailed a train carrying military personnel. The blast overturned two carriages, which caught fire, sending thick black smoke into the sky.
Emergency Response and Casualties
A medical emergency was declared at the local hospital receiving the injured, with doctors reporting that at least 20 of them are in critical condition. The bomb detonated in an area where security forces are typically stationed, and the explosion was followed by gunfire.
Photos from the scene show several buildings damaged, along with more than a dozen cars parked along the road, some of which were completely burnt out.
Official Condemnation
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the incident, which he said 'resulted in the tragic loss of innocent lives and left many others injured'. Shahid Rind, a spokesperson for the Balochistan provincial government, stated: 'We strongly condemn the targeting of innocent civilians and are deeply saddened by the loss of precious human lives. Terrorist elements deserve no leniency.' He confirmed that a medical emergency had been declared and that an investigation had been opened.
Insurgency Context
Quetta is the capital of Balochistan province, which has been destabilised by insurgency groups. Separatist groups, including the outlawed Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), have demanded independence from Pakistan's central government. Although no group has claimed responsibility for the bombing, suspicion is likely to fall on the BLA, as it has previously carried out similar attacks on security forces and government infrastructure.
Pakistani authorities claim to have suppressed the insurgency, but violence in Baluchistan has persisted. In 2024, at least 26 people, including soldiers, were killed when a suicide bomber attacked a train station in Quetta.
