9 hours ago
A deadly suicide car bombing targeted a security convoy in Balochistan's Naushki district, killing seven people, including five officers. The attack, claimed by the Baloch Liberation Army, was followed by gunfire as security forces retaliated, killing at least four assailants.
A paramilitary soldier examines a damaged bus at the site of a suicide bombing, in Naushki, a district in southwestern Pakistan’s Balochistan province
UPDATED: Mar 17, 2025 10:00 IST
A suicide car bomber targeted a convoy of buses carrying security forces in the restive southwestern province of Balochistan on Sunday, killing at least five officers and two civilians, the military and police confirmed.
According to Zafar Zamanani, a local police chief, ten people were also wounded in the attack, which occurred in Naushki district. Some of the injured are in critical condition and have been transported to hospital for treatment.
Authorities reported that separatist rebels opened fire on the buses following the car bombing. The outlawed Baloch Liberation Army has claimed responsibility for the attack.
A military statement condemned the incident, stating, "Sanitisation operations in the area will continue, and the perpetrators of this heinous and cowardly act will be brought to justice".
The attack comes just days after rebels stormed a train and took around 400 people hostage. That incident resulted in 26 deaths before security forces launched an operation, killing all 33 attackers.
Sarfraz Bugti, the Chief Minister of Balochistan, confirmed that security forces returned fire during Sunday’s attack, killing at least four of the assailants.
Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest yet least populated province, is rich in oil and minerals. Ethnic Baloch residents have long accused the central government of discrimination, an allegation that Islamabad denies. The Baloch Liberation Army has been waging an armed insurgency, demanding independence from Pakistan.
Security remains tight in the province, with authorities continuing counter-terrorism operations to prevent further attacks.
Published By:
Meghna Barik
Published On:
Mar 17, 2025
