Pakistan train bombing: 24 dead as explosives-laden car crashes into military vehicle in Quetta ahead of Eid

A bomb attack on a military train in Quetta, the capital of Pakistan’s restive Baluchistan province, has killed at least 24 people and injured more than 50, a senior official confirmed on Sunday. The train was carrying army soldiers and their family members from Quetta to Peshawar when the blast occurred, one of the deadliest attacks on Pakistani security forces in recent memory.

How the Quetta attack happened

The train was passing a signal at Chaman Pattak in Quetta “when a car loaded with explosives rammed into one of the carriages, resulting in a large explosion,” a senior official told AFP. The force of the explosion caused two carriages to overturn and catch fire, sending thick black smoke into the air, according to footage widely shared online.

The attack, which took place in an area where security forces are usually stationed, severely damaged several nearby buildings and destroyed vehicles parked along the road, according to witnesses and images circulating on social media. Windows were blown out in a wide area and surrounding vehicles were reduced to rubble.

Kvéta Bomb Blast: Number of casualties and casualties

Army soldiers were among the dead in the blast, a senior official confirmed to AFP. Doctors at local hospitals said they received more than 30 injured in the immediate aftermath, several of them in critical condition. The number subsequently rose, with a senior official confirming at least 24 dead and more than 50 injured.

Images circulating on social media showed the wrecked wagon lying on its side as people scrambled over the wreckage to search for survivors. People were seen carrying blood-soaked victims on stretchers away from the derailed carriages as armed security forces patrolled the perimeter.

Army personnel traveled to celebrate Eid

Another official told AFP that the soldiers on board were traveling to celebrate the Eid holiday, which is due to start on Tuesday. The train was on its way from Quetta to Peshawar in northwestern Pakistan and was carrying both military personnel and their family members, so the casualties of the attack were particularly severe.

Balochistan government official Babar Yousufzai said authorities were still investigating the blast, but gave no further details.

Why Balochistan remains a flashpoint for violence

Balochistan is Pakistan’s poorest province and largest in terms of area, lagging behind the rest of the country in almost all indicators of development, including education, employment and economic growth. Baloch separatists have long accused the Pakistani government of exploiting the province’s significant natural gas reserves and mineral wealth without channeling meaningful benefits to the local population.

The province has been the site of a long-running insurgency, and attacks on security forces and infrastructure have continued for decades. Sunday’s bombing marks one of the deadliest attacks on Pakistani military personnel in the province in years.