Tragedy in Quetta: Bomb attack claims 24 lives at station
The number of victims of the massacre at the railway station in Pakistan is increasing. According to the latest information, at least 24 people have died, and over 40 have been injured due to a bomb explosion in the city of Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province.
Local police reported that the explosion occurred while a unit of the Pakistani army, returning from military training, was on the platform. Initial suspicions suggested that the explosive material was placed in abandoned luggage.
"When we reached here, initially it appeared that some explosive had perhaps been hidden or left in the luggage. But now we think it may be a suicide bomber," police officer Muhammad Baloch said in an interview with AFP.
The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement, emphasizing that the targets were soldiers returning from military training and waiting for a train. The number of victims has risen from the initially reported 17 to at least 24 dead, with the number of injured exceeding 40.
Balochistan is the largest province in Pakistan, but it is also one of the poorest. An unstable situation has persisted there for decades. The ethnic Baloch minority accuses the government in Islamabad of neglecting the region and exploiting its natural resources in collaboration with China.
Separatist groups such as the BLA are engaged in an armed struggle for the province's independence, often employing methods of terror. The attack in Quetta further highlights the escalation of tensions in the region and the challenges in resolving the long-standing conflict.
