A powerful explosion in southwestern Pakistan resulted in the deaths of at least 14 individuals on Sunday. The bomb detonated near a passenger train, part of ongoing violence in the region driven by a separatist insurgency.
The incident occurred at approximately 8 a.m. local time near a railway crossing in Balochistan Province, close to Pakistan’s border with Afghanistan. This area is known for militant group activities, which have escalated in recent times.
The explosion struck as a shuttle train, carrying numerous passengers including some from a nearby military base, made its way to Quetta’s main railway station, the provincial capital. Pakistan’s railway minister, Muhammad Hanif Abbasi, stated that the force of the blast derailed the locomotive and three coaches. Two carriages overturned as a result.
Most passengers were likely en route to visit family before Eid al-Adha celebrations on Wednesday in Pakistan. The shuttle train was meant to connect with the Jaffer Express, a vital 1,000-mile rail service linking Quetta with major Pakistani cities.
Shahid Rind, an official with Balochistan’s provincial government, confirmed at least 14 fatalities. Authorities, including a police officer and a health department official in Quetta, reported over 20 bodies brought to a hospital, which included women and children. Over three dozen individuals sustained injuries.
Preliminary investigations by police and Mr. Rind indicated a suicide attacker might have orchestrated the bombing, though an official assessment from the bomb disposal squad remains pending.
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