At least 24 people were killed and nearly 70 injured after a powerful explosion targeting a train carrying military personnel ripped through a railway track in Pakistan's Balochistan province on Sunday, Reuters reported, citing Al Arabiya and local officials, as the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the suicide attack.
The train suffered partial damage in the blast near Chaman Phatak railway station in Quetta, while 10 vehicles parked in the area were also damaged, police said. The impact of the explosion shattered the windows and glass panels of nearby buildings, Geo News reported.
Police officers examine damages at the site of bomb explosion, in Quetta, Pakistan, Sunday, May 24, 2026. AP/PTI
The outfit said its Majeed Brigade, referred to as the group’s fidayee (self-sacrificing) wing, had targeted a train carrying security personnel from Quetta Cantt in what it called a “well-planned fidayee attack”, according to several reports.
The group further stated that detailed information about the operation, including the extent of material damage and casualties suffered by the “enemy”, would be shared later through an official media statement.
The explosion derailed three coaches, including the locomotive, while two coaches overturned, state-run APP reported.
Following the incident, an emergency was declared in government hospitals across Quetta, with doctors and medical staff summoned to handle the situation.
Authorities said the Peshawar-bound Jaffar Express was stopped at Quetta Railway Station after the blast as a precautionary measure, Geo News reported.
Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi condemned the attack as a cowardly act of terrorism, adding that it would not weaken the nation's resolve against militancy.
Calling militants “enemies of humanity”, the minister asserted they would be “brought to a disgraceful end”, while alleging that hostile forces were involved in spreading unrest and fear across Pakistan.
Babar Yousafzai, spokesperson to the home minister, said all relevant institutions had been placed on high alert following the explosion. He urged people not to gather near the blast site to ensure safety and allow emergency teams to carry out rescue operations without obstruction.