Explosion Along a Railway Track in Pakistan’s Balochistan Province Derails Train, Dozens Dead

PAKISTAN – A cargo train was derailed after an explosion rocked a railway track in Pakistan’s Balochistan province on Sunday, leaving at least 23 people dead, while 70 others were injured, according to local authorities.

The explosion occurred along a railway track in Quetta, the capital of southwestern Balochistan province, which targeted the train headed to the city’s cantonment area, according to 24 News.

According to local police sources, a suspected suicide bomber believed to have acted alone rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into a train carrying military personnel in Quetta, the capital of Balochistan.

The blast occurred along a railway track as the train was heading toward the city’s cantonment area.

Officials said the explosion was powerful enough to be heard several miles away.

The victims included civilians, with multiple houses near the railway line and several vehicles sustaining extensive damage in the blast.

The banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility in a statement to local media, saying a suicide bomber had targeted military personnel.

Heavy gunfire was also reported following the explosion, and authorities declared an emergency in several city hospitals.

Babar Yousafzai, a special assistant for the provincial home department, told reporters that security forces and rescue teams reached the site as police tried to ascertain the nature of the blast.

Balochistan, a mineral-rich region and a key route for the multibillion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, has long been plagued by militancy from separatist groups.