Roadside bomb kills five Pakistan military personnel , suspicion on Baloch Liberation Army

A powerful roadside bomb exploded near a bus carrying security personnel in the restive southwestern province of Balochistan, Pakistan, on Sunday. The deadly attack resulted in the deaths of at least five officers while leaving ten others wounded, according to police reports.

The explosion took place in the district of Naushki, a region known for its ongoing security challenges, said Zafar Zamanani, the local police chief. The force of the blast not only caused severe damage to the bus carrying the security forces but also affected another bus nearby, which sustained significant destruction. Emergency response teams rushed to the scene and transported the deceased and wounded personnel to a local hospital for urgent medical treatment.

Balochistan’s Chief Minister, Sarfraz Bugti, strongly condemned the attack, expressing his concern over the continuous violence plaguing the region. He reaffirmed the provincial government’s commitment to combating terrorism and ensuring stability in Balochistan.

Although no group immediately claimed responsibility for the bombing, suspicion fell on the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), an outlawed separatist organization. The BLA had recently made headlines after hijacking a train, seizing about 400 passengers as hostages. The incident resulted in the deaths of 26 hostages before security forces conducted a counter-operation, eliminating all 33 attackers involved in the hijacking.

Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest yet least populated province, holds immense economic and strategic significance due to its rich oil and mineral reserves. However, the region has long been the epicenter of an armed separatist movement. Ethnic Baloch groups have accused the central government of systemic discrimination and exploitation of the province’s resources. Islamabad has repeatedly denied these claims, insisting that development efforts are underway to uplift the region.

In a separate report by India Today, the Baloch Liberation Army later claimed responsibility for the convoy attack, alleging that the actual death toll was significantly higher than official figures. According to the BLA’s statement, a total of 90 Pakistani military personnel were killed in what it described as a “Fidayee attack”—a term commonly associated with suicide missions.

The attack took place while a security convoy was traveling from Quetta, the provincial capital, to Taftan, a town near the Iranian border. The incident occurred along the RCD Highway near Rakhshan Mill, where an explosive-laden vehicle was detonated in the path of the convoy. Security officials reported that the assault began with a Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED) detonating near one of the buses. Shortly after the initial explosion, another bus was targeted with Rocket-Propelled Grenades (RPGs).

According to an official statement from the Noshki Station House Officer (SHO), preliminary investigations strongly indicate that a suicide bomber deliberately rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into the convoy. “The evidence collected from the blast site points toward a suicide attack,” the SHO told reporters.

The EurAsian Times reported that the Majeed Brigade, the BLA’s specialized suicide unit, took responsibility for orchestrating the attack. In an official statement, the insurgent group claimed that they had targeted a convoy of the “occupying Pakistani military” with a VBIED in a coordinated attack.

“A convoy of the occupying Pakistani military was targeted in a VBIED Fidayee attack. One bus was destroyed,” the BLA’s statement read.

The militant group further claimed that after the initial explosion, its elite Fateh Squad advanced towards another bus, surrounding it. According to the BLA’s account, their fighters systematically eliminated all security personnel onboard, bringing the total number of casualties to 90. However, this figure has not been independently verified.

The attack came in the wake of another major operation carried out by the BLA, in which militants hijacked a train near Sibi, taking nearly 440 passengers hostage. According to official Pakistani military sources, the insurgents derailed the train using explosives, resulting in the deaths of 18 off-duty military and paramilitary Frontier Corps personnel, three railway staff members, and five civilian passengers. Before security forces intervened, 26 hostages had been killed by the insurgents. The military later launched a full-scale operation, successfully neutralizing all 33 BLA fighters involved in the train attack.

The insurgency in Balochistan remains one of Pakistan’s most persistent security challenges. Ethnic Baloch militants have been engaged in an armed struggle for greater autonomy and, in some cases, full independence from Islamabad. They argue that the central government unfairly exploits the province’s natural wealth while providing little economic benefit to its residents. Despite repeated assurances by Pakistani authorities that infrastructure and development projects are being implemented to improve conditions in the province, grievances among Baloch separatists continue to fuel violence.

While Pakistani officials have confirmed that seven soldiers were killed in Sunday’s attack on the convoy, the BLA’s assertion of 90 casualties remains unverified. Authorities are continuing their investigation into the incident while reinforcing security measures in the troubled region to prevent further attacks.