In Balochistan, a province in southwestern Pakistan, a suicide car bombing targeted a security convoy on Sunday, leading to the loss of at least seven lives, including five security officers and two civilians. The tragic incident unfolded in Naushki district, as confirmed by Zafar Zamanani, the local police chief. The assault did not just end with the bombing; separatist rebels fired upon the convoy afterwards, escalating the violence. Ten individuals were reported injured in the attack, with some in critical condition, requiring urgent medical attention at a hospital.
Responsibility for the attack was claimed by the Baloch Liberation Army, a separatist group that operates with outlaw status. In response to the violence, the military issued a statement affirming its commitment to carry out “sanitization operations” in the area, with the intent of bringing those responsible for the brutal act to justice. This incident is part of a larger pattern of unrest in the province, which has seen frequent violence.
Just last week, the region faced another crisis when rebels attacked a train, taking approximately 400 hostages and causing the deaths of 26 individuals. The violent episode concluded with a security operation that resulted in the deaths of all 33 attackers involved. Following Sunday’s attack, Sarfraz Bugti, Balochistan’s chief minister, reported that security forces managed to respond effectively, killing at least four of the assailants.
Balochistan, rich in oil and minerals, stands as Pakistan’s largest yet sparsely populated province. The ethnic Baloch community has historically accused the central government of marginalization, a claim that Islamabad rejects. The Baloch Liberation Army, at the heart of these claims, has consistently pushed for independence from Pakistan’s central government, perpetuating a cycle of violence and unrest in the region.
