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2024 Quetta railway station bombing
Terrorist attack in Quetta, Pakistan From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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On 9 November 2024, at least 32 people were killed and 55 others were injured in a suicide bombing at Quetta railway station in Quetta, Balochistan, Pakistan.[4][5] The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), a separatist militant group, claimed responsibility for the attack.[6][3] It was the first time that the BLA had attacked the centre of Quetta.[7]
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Background
The Quetta Railway Station is a major transport hub in Quetta and one of the largest stations in the province of Balochistan.[8]
Attack
At around 8:25 a.m., a suicide bomber detonated an explosive device on a crowded platform near the ticket office in the station, where around 150 to 200 people were waiting to board a train travelling to Rawalpindi. The explosion damaged the platform's roof and destroyed a tea stall. At least 32 people were killed, including soldiers and railway employees, and another 62 were injured. Several of the victims were taken to the hospital in critical condition.[3][7][4]
The Balochistan Liberation Army, an ethnic secessionist group designated as a terrorist organization by China,[9] the European Union,[10] Iran, [11] Pakistan,[12] Russia,[13] United Kingdom,[14] and the United States,[15][16] issued a statement claiming responsibility for the bombing saying it was carried out by the group's Majeed Brigade.[17] The group said that it targeted soldiers, which the inspector-general of police in Balochistan, Moazzam Jah Ansari, described as being from the "Infantry School".[3][18] The Counter Terrorism Department reported that the bomber had carried 8–10 kilograms (18–22 lb) of explosive material inside a bag.[2][19]
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Casualties
Thirty-two people, including the perpetrator, were killed in the bombing, and 55 others were injured.[20] The bomber's remains were sent for DNA testing for identification. Twenty-four of the victims were transferred to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) and 13 to the Trauma Centre. Hospital officials stated that 25 injured patients were initially treated and discharged.[2]
Perpetrator
On 10 November 2024, the Balochistan Liberation Army released a photo of the bomber and identified him as Muhammad Rafiq Bizenjo. Bizenjo joined the BLA in 2017 under the alias "Washen" and volunteered for a suicide attack in 2023. He joined and trained with the Majeed Brigade for over a year.[21][22]
Aftermath
Two trains at the railway station, the Jaffar Express and the Bolan Mail, were suspended for four days after the bombing due to security concerns.[23]
The Balochistan government declared three days of mourning from 11 to 13 November while security measures across Quetta were significantly increased.[24]
Reactions
The attack was condemned by Balochistan chief minister Sarfraz Bugti, National Assembly of Pakistan speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq,[19] and Pakistani prime minister Shehbaz Sharif, along with the foreign ministries of Afghanistan,[3] Iran,[25] Sri Lanka,[26] the United Arab Emirates,[27][28] Jordan,[29] the State of Palestine,[30] and Turkey, and the US mission to Pakistan.[31] World leaders and diplomats including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim,[32] United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and British High Commissioner Jane Marriott[33] conveyed their condolences and condemned the attack.[34]
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See also
- 2025 Jaffar Express hijacking, another BLA railway attack
- August 2024 Balochistan attacks, another BLA attack targeting police and soldiers
References
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