At least six people, including paramilitary troops, were killed, and more than 25 others injured in a bombing 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 news agency AFP.
The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the bombing. Jeeyand Baloch, the group’s spokesperson, said the attack targeted a convoy of Pakistani army personnel.
“Exact details of the blast are being investigated but a police official said high-ranking police officer SSP Zohaib Mohsin was in the bus along with his family and could have been the target,” A senior police official was quoted as saying by news agency PTI. The senior police official and his family were part of a wedding party on the bus.
The BLA often claims responsibility for attacks on security forces and non-local Pakistanis, particularly those from Punjab, in Balochistan province.
Pakistan has experienced an increase in attacks in recent months, especially in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The military 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 targeted foreign-funded energy projects, accusing external groups of exploiting the area’s natural resources while neglecting local residents.
In November, separatists claimed responsibility for a bombing at Quetta’s railway station that killed at least 26 people, including 14 soldiers. In August, the BLA carried out coordinated attacks involving dozens of assailants, killing at least 39 people, one of the highest tolls in recent years.
