2024 Quetta railway station bombing
Terrorist attack in Quetta, Pakistan From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
On 9 November 2024, at least 32 people were killed and 62 others were injured in a suicide bombing at Quetta railway station in Quetta, Balochistan, Pakistan.[3][4] The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), a separatist militant group, claimed responsibility for the attack.[5][2] It was the first time that the BLA had attacked the centre of Quetta.[6]
| 2024 Quetta railway station bombing | |
|---|---|
| Part of the insurgency in Balochistan | |
A CCTV still of the bombing | |
| Location | Quetta railway station, Quetta, Balochistan, Pakistan |
| Coordinates | 30°11′30″N 67°0′3″E |
| Date | 9 November 2024 c. 8:25 a.m. (UTC+05:00) |
| Target | Civilians |
Attack type | Suicide bombing |
| Weapons | Explosives |
| Deaths | 32 (including the perpetrator) |
| Injured | 62[1][2] |
| Perpetrators | Balochistan Liberation Army |
| Assailant | Muhammad Rafiq Bizenjo † |
| Motive | Baloch nationalism |
Background
The Quetta Railway Station is a major transport hub in Quetta and one of the largest stations in the province of Balochistan.[7]
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.[2][6][3]
The Balochistan Liberation Army, an ethnic secessionist group designated as a terrorist organization by China,[8] the European Union,[9] Iran, [10] Pakistan,[11] Russia,[12] United Kingdom,[13] and the United States,[14][15] issued a statement claiming responsibility for the bombing saying it was carried out by the group's Majeed Brigade.[16] 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".[2][17] The Counter Terrorism Department reported that the bomber had carried 8–10 kilograms (18–22 lb) of explosive material inside a bag.[1][18]
Casualties
Thirty-two people, including the perpetrator, were killed in the bombing, and 62 others were injured.[19] 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.[1]
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.[20][21]
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.[22]
The Balochistan government declared three days of mourning from 11 to 13 November while security measures across Quetta were significantly increased.[23]
Reactions
The attack was condemned by Balochistan chief minister Sarfraz Bugti, National Assembly of Pakistan speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq,[18] and Pakistani prime minister Shehbaz Sharif, along with the foreign ministries of Afghanistan,[2] Iran,[24] Sri Lanka,[25] the United Arab Emirates,[26][27] Jordan,[28] the State of Palestine,[29] and Turkey, and the US mission to Pakistan.[30] World leaders and diplomats including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim,[31] United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and British High Commissioner Jane Marriott[32] conveyed their condolences and condemned the attack.[33]
See also
- August 2024 Balochistan attacks, another BLA attack targeting police and soldiers
References
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