A suicide bomber killed nine police officers and wounded 16 others on Monday in an attack on their truck in Dhadar, southwestern Pakistan, officials say. \u201cThe suicide bomber was riding a motorbike and hit the truck from behind,”.<\/p>\n
At least nine security personnel were killed and 13 others injured in a suicide attack on their vehicle in Pakistan’s restive Balochistan province on Monday, police said, in the latest terror attack in the country.<\/p>\n
The blast near the truck of the Balochistan Constabulary personnel occurred on the Kambri bridge on the Quetta-Sibi highway, the Express Tribune newspaper reported.<\/p>\n
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) of Kachhi, Mehmood Notezai, said that the preliminary evidence suggests it was a suicide attack.<\/p>\n
However, the exact nature of the blast could be ascertained after investigations.<\/p>\n
He said that a bomb disposal team reached the site of the incident and the area is being searched after the explosion.<\/p>\n
So far, no one has claimed responsibility for the attack.<\/p>\n
As soon as the incident was reported, local administration and security forces reached the spot.<\/p>\n
The Balochistan Constabulary (BC) personnel were returning from duty in Sibi Mela when they were targeted. The truck overturned due to the intensity of the explosion, the report said.<\/p>\n
The bodies and injured personnel were shifted to the Sibi district where they were provided medical aid. The condition of some of the injured is reportedly critical.<\/p>\n
The BC is a department of the provincial police force that provides security at important events and in sensitive areas, including jails.<\/p>\n
The blast comes on the heels of attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and areas bordering Afghanistan.<\/p>\n
Since the talks with the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) broke down in November last year, the militant group has intensified its attacks while insurgents in Balochistan have also stepped up their violent activities and formalized a nexus with it.<\/p>\n
The Balochistan province has experienced a surge in violent incidents in recent months, including bombings and targeted attacks, leading to heightened security measures and public safety concerns.<\/p>\n
On February 26, 4 people were killed, and 14 injured in an IED blast at a market in the Balochistan province of Pakistan.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo has condemned the attack and expressed grief at the number of casualties.<\/p>\n
He said terrorist elements wanted to accomplish their wicked aims through cowardly actions, adding that they were conspiring to keep Balochistan under-developed by creating unrest and instability in the province.<\/p>\n
Recent suicide bombings have been linked to Baloch pushback against the China-Pakistan corridor but also spotlight the bigger struggle for Balochistan’s freedom.<\/p>\n
In January 2023, a suicide bombing<\/a> in a mosque in Pakistan\u2019s Peshawar<\/a> killed 32, and injured 147 people. Peshwar, which sits at the edge of Pakistan\u2019s tribal districts bordering Afghanistan, is frequently targeted by militant groups, including the Pakistani Taliban.<\/p>\n