At Least 24 Killed as Bomb Rips Through Soldier Train in Pakistan’s Baluchistan

Casualty Toll

Rescue teams rushed to the remote site, where they found twisted metal and burning compartments. Medics transported the wounded to hospitals in Quetta and Peshawar, where many were said to be in critical condition.

While a senior official from the area initially reported more than 50 injured, a police spokesman later told news agency APA that 103 people had been wounded, though that figure could not be independently verified.

Some local media reports put the death toll at 30, but authorities had not officially confirmed that number as of Sunday evening.

A History of Separatist Violence

The attack comes against the backdrop of a long-running separatist insurgency in Baluchistan, Pakistan’s largest but poorest province, where militant groups have frequently targeted security forces and infrastructure.

The banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), an ethnic separatist group, has been particularly active in the region. In 2025, the BLA hijacked a train carrying hundreds of security personnel and their families, a brazen attack that drew international condemnation.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for Sunday’s bombing, but the method and target closely resemble earlier operations by separatist militants who often use improvised explosive devices along rail lines.

Security forces cordoned off the area after the blast and launched a search operation for additional devices. Authorities said they would review security arrangements on train routes across the province.