Explosion hits tracks in Quetta, Balochistan, causing derailment, overturn, and fire Separatist militant group BLA claims responsibility; death toll expected to rise with dozens critical

A devastating bomb attack targeting a moving train in southwestern Pakistan—a region long plagued by separatist insurgency—has left at least 29 people dead and more than 100 others injured.

According to reports from EFE, AP, and Pakistani news outlet Geo News, the incident occurred at approximately 8:05 a.m. local time on the 24th. A bomb hidden inside a vehicle parked near the railway tracks detonated just as a train was passing through Quetta, the capital of the southwestern Balochistan province.

The sheer force of the blast derailed three passenger carriages, causing two of them to overturn and catch fire. A senior official from the Quetta police confirmed the casualties to the press, stating, "So far, 29 passengers have been confirmed dead, and 102 others are injured."

Footage circulating on social media captured the grim aftermath of the attack, showing several buildings near the tracks heavily damaged and dozens of parked cars completely crushed by the blast radius. Rescue authorities warned that the death toll could rise further, noting that at least 20 of the hospitalized victims remain in critical condition.

Following the attack, Pakistan's Minister for Railways, Muhammad Hanif Abbasi, issued a stern statement condemning the blast, labeling it a "despicable and cowardly act of terrorism" that deliberately targeted innocent civilians. In response to the influx of casualties, the Balochistan provincial government declared a medical emergency across all hospitals in Quetta to ensure maximum mobilization of medical resources.

The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), a prominent separatist militant group operating in the province, immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. BLA spokesperson Jeeyand Baloch stated, "Our suicide squad executed a meticulously planned operation this morning. We targeted a train transporting forces of the occupying state, and the BLA accepts full responsibility for this strike."

Balochistan, which shares borders with both Afghanistan and Iran, is rich in natural and mineral resources but remains Pakistan’s poorest and least developed province. Insurgent groups like the BLA argue that the central government and foreign investors exploit the region's vast resources without benefitting the local population, driving their violent campaign for full independence.

Designated as a terrorist organization by the United States government in 2019, the BLA has a history of high-profile attacks on transport infrastructure. In March last year, the group hijacked a train departing from Balochistan bound for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, holding 440 passengers hostage. That two-day siege ended after a military operation in which all 33 BLA militants were killed, though the confrontation also resulted in the deaths of 26 people, including Pakistani soldiers and civilian passengers.