A deadly explosion struck a vehicle carrying mine workers in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province on Friday, killing at least 10 people, officials confirmed.
The incident occurred in Harnai district, located approximately 160 kilometers (104 miles) from Quetta, the provincial capital. According to Shahzad Zahri, a senior government official, the labourers were en route from their work site to a nearby market when their vehicle was targeted by an improvised explosive device (IED).
“It was an IED blast,” said Saleem Tareen, another senior district official. “We are investigating the attack.”
No group has claimed responsibility for the explosion. However, the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), a separatist militant organization, has previously carried out similar attacks in the region, often targeting security forces and non-Baloch residents, particularly those from Punjab.
Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest but least developed province, has long experienced violence linked to separatist insurgencies and militant activity. Security forces have launched numerous operations in the region to curb such attacks, but sporadic incidents continue to claim lives.
Authorities are conducting an investigation to determine the perpetrators behind the latest attack.