Suicide Bombing in Quetta Kills 24, Injures Dozens

An apparent car bombing struck Quetta, Pakistan’s southwestern city, on Sunday morning, resulting in at least 24 fatalities and around 70 injuries, as reported by officials.

A Balochistan provincial officer informed CBS News that the explosion was severe, with potential for further casualties. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack as a “cowardly act of terrorism” on social media. Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti also denounced it as an act against innocent civilians, including women and children.

The blast occurred near a railway track in Faquir Abad area at approximately 8:00 a.m., causing widespread panic in nearby areas. Witnesses reported the explosion’s intensity, which shook buildings, shattered windows, and ignited a fire on a passenger shuttle train. The Associated Press noted that the explosion took place in an area typically patrolled by security forces.

Pakistan Federal Minister for Railways Hanif Abbasi stated that the blast derailed one engine and three coaches of the shuttle train, with two other coaches overturning. Photos showed thick black smoke rising from the scene as paramilitary soldiers and volunteers attempted to rescue victims.

The Associated Press characterized the incident as a suicide bombing. A government investigation into the attack is currently underway. Area resident Aziz Khan told CBS News that many people were waiting at the train crossing when the explosion occurred, with his house “jolted” by the blast. He described a “huge bang,” indicating the explosion’s intensity.

The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), an Afghanistan-based group advocating for Balochistan to be an independent region, has claimed responsibility for the attack. The U.S. State Department has designated the BLA as a foreign terrorist organization. Quetta serves as the capital of Balochistan province, which is Pakistan’s largest but least populated, and home to the country’s ethnic Baloch minority. Islamic militants also operate within the province.

The BLA has claimed responsibility for several violent attacks in the region, including February’s coordinated suicide and gun attacks that killed 18 civilians and 15 security personnel. In 2024, a suicide bombing at a train station resulted in at least 26 fatalities, including soldiers and railway staff.