Quetta: A devastating suicide bombing near the Chaman Phatak railway station in Quetta, Balochistan, has left at least 24 people dead and nearly 70 others injured. The powerful explosion occurred early Sunday morning, targeting a passenger train carrying military personnel and civilians bound for Peshawar. The force of the blast caused multiple carriages to derail and catch fire, sending shockwaves through the regional capital.
According to local law enforcement and railway authorities, the explosive device was detonated just as the train was clearing a signal near the tracks. At least two carriages overturned completely under the impact of the explosion, while an adjoining fire quickly spread to vehicles parked along the nearby road, destroying roughly ten cars. The blast was loud enough to be heard several kilometres away, shattering window panes and causing structural damage to residential buildings in the surrounding neighbourhood.
Emergency response units and security forces immediately cordoned off the entire Chaman Phatak area to secure the perimeter and facilitate rescue operations. Ambulances transferred dozens of casualties to nearby government hospitals, where medical authorities have declared a state of emergency. Hospital representatives confirmed that several of the admitted individuals remain in critical condition, and the death toll is expected to fluctuate as search operations proceed through the mangled wreckage.
The outlawed separatist group Balochistan Liberation Army has claimed responsibility for the targeted strike, stating that its operative carried out the suicide mission against military personnel returning home for holidays. Provincial authorities have placed all regional security institutions on high alert, urging citizens to keep transit routes clear so that rescue vehicles can move without disruption. An official investigation into the security breach and the exact mechanism of the detonation is currently underway.
