At least 24 killed in Pakistan train blast claimed by separatist militants

A bomb blast tore through a shuttle train carrying Pakistani security personnel and their families in the southwestern province of Balochistan on Sunday, killing at least 24 people and injuring around 70. Officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they are not authorized to speak to the media.

The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), a separatist militant group, claimed responsibility for the attack, stating it was a suicide bombing. Reuters could not independently verify this claim.

The explosion occurred near a railway track in the provincial capital, Quetta, as the train was en route from Quetta's cantonment area to connect with the Jaffar Express. The blast derailed the engine and three coaches, with two others overturning, according to Pakistan's railways ministry. Images from the scene depicted burnt-out vehicles, damaged buildings, and twisted metal scattered near the tracks.

This attack marks the latest in a series of strikes targeting trains, security forces, and infrastructure in the mineral-rich Balochistan province. Pakistan has intensified counterinsurgency operations in the region following some of the deadliest violence in years. In a previous incident in March 2025, BLA militants hijacked the Jaffar Express, taking hundreds hostage before a military operation ended the standoff, resulting in the deaths of 21 hostages, four troops, and 33 attackers. Earlier this year, Pakistani forces killed 145 militants in a 40-hour operation after coordinated attacks across Balochistan left nearly 50 people dead.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the "heinous bomb explosion" and expressed condolences to the victims' families, stating the nation stood with the people of Balochistan.

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