Suicide Bombing Blasts Military Train: 24 Dead, Pakistan Declares Emergency

At least 24 people killed and over 50 injured in a suicide car bomb attack targeting a military train in Quetta, the capital of Pakistan’s Balochistan province, on Sunday local time.

The massive explosion derailed several carriages, causing them to overturn and catch fire. Reports also indicated gunfire around the scene.

The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) separatist group claimed responsibility for the attack.

Al Jazeera reported from the scene that numerous homes and buildings near the railway tracks suffered severe damage. Social media videos showed burnt train carriages and vehicles tilted on their sides, with thick black smoke billowing into the sky.

Local media reported that the local government immediately declared a state of emergency at Quetta General Hospital, with doctors and medical staff on standby to handle the influx of injured.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the attack, stating on X: “Such cowardly terrorist acts will not weaken the resolve of the Pakistani people. We remain steadfast in our commitment to eradicate terrorism in all its forms.”

Attacks in Balochistan have reportedly increased in recent months, with separatist groups frequently targeting security personnel and strategic projects linked to China.

Armed groups in Balochistan oppose Beijing’s major infrastructure projects in the region, including the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which connects China’s Xinjiang region to Pakistan’s Gwadar Port.

Balochistan has long been a hotspot for separatist conflicts and armed violence. The Pakistani government accuses separatist groups of attempting to destabilise national security and strategic economic projects in the region.