Pakistan train bombing kills more than 30 people, official says

More than 30 people died in a suicide bombing targeting a train in Quetta, the capital of Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province, officials confirmed Monday. The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the attack, describing it as a suicide bombing, though Reuters could not independently verify the claim.

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More than 30 people died in a suicide bombing of a train in southwestern Pakistan on Sunday, officials said on Monday, in the latest attack claimed by separatist Balochistan militants.

The car bomb struck a shuttle train carrying Pakistani security personnel and their families. Officials initially reported 24 deaths on Sunday, but the toll rose to over 30 by Monday. The train was carrying passengers from Quetta's army cantonment area to connect with the Jaffar Express for travel to their hometowns to celebrate Eid al-Adha.

The explosion derailed the engine and three coaches, with two others overturning. Images from the scene showed extensive damage, including burnt-out vehicles, overturned carriages, and debris scattered near the railway track. The BLA has been fighting for decades for a greater share of the region's resources, accusing the government of depriving local people.

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The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed the attack and described it as a suicide bombing.

Balochistan is a key region for Chinese development projects, including the deep-sea Gwadar port. The province has seen a surge in attacks, with Pakistani forces reporting the killing of 145 militants earlier this year after coordinated attacks that killed nearly 50 people. Last year, BLA militants hijacked the Jaffar Express, holding soldiers hostage before a military operation ended the standoff with numerous casualties.

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The separatist group has been fighting for decades over the exploitation of regional resources in the mineral-rich province, saying that local people are deprived of their due share.