Pakistan Train Bombing Leaves 29 Dead, More Than 100 Injured

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\r\n[Financial News] A bomb attack near the tracks in southwestern Pakistan struck while a train was in operation, killing 29 people and injuring more than 100. A separatist armed group in the region claimed responsibility for the incident.
According to Agencia EFE (EFE), AP, and Pakistani media reports on the 24th local time, explosives detonated near the tracks around 8 a.m. in Quetta, Balochistan Province, in southwestern Pakistan, as a train was passing through.
The blast derailed three carriages, and two of them overturned, causing a fire.
A Quetta police official told EFE that "29 passengers were killed and 102 were injured."
Among the injured who were taken to hospitals, 20 were in critical condition, raising the possibility that the death toll could climb further. A medical emergency was declared at hospitals across Quetta, Balochistan Province, after the incident.
AP reported that terrorists detonated explosives planted in a vehicle near the tracks as the train passed by.
Hanif Abbasi, Pakistan's Minister of Railways, described the attack as a cowardly act of terrorism targeting the train.
The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), a separatist armed group operating in Balochistan Province, claimed responsibility for the attack.
BLA spokesman Ziyand Baloch said, "This morning, our suicide squad targeted a train transporting occupying forces in a carefully planned attack," and added, "The BLA takes full responsibility for this operation."
Balochistan Province is rich in mineral resources, but it is Pakistan's poorest region. It borders not only Afghanistan but also Iran.
Rebel groups in the region, including the BLA, have been carrying out attacks while demanding independence, saying the Pakistani government and foreign capital are exploiting local resources.
The BLA, which the United States government designated as a terrorist organization in 2019, hijacked a train last March that had departed from Balochistan Province and was heading to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, taking 440 passengers hostage before being subdued two days later.
All 33 BLA members were killed in the operation, along with 26 Pakistani soldiers and passengers.
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kim091@fnnews.com Kim Young-kwon Reporter