According to police reports, a roadside improvised explosive device (IED) detonated near a bus transporting security personnel in the Balochistan province of Pakistan. This incident resulted in the deaths of at least five officers and injuries to numerous others. Al Jazeera reported that the attack targeted a convoy of approximately eight buses carrying security personnel from Noshki to Taftan, near the Iranian border. Local sources indicate that the detonation of the roadside IED was succeeded by gunfire from the assailants. The attack caused injuries to over thirty paramilitary personnel and substantial damage to a nearby bus. The injured and deceased were transported to a local medical facility. There is concern that the number of fatalities may increase. The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Balochistan is the location of several armed factions, including the BLA, which is engaged in a struggle for complete independence from Pakistan. Since 2006, both Pakistan and the United States have designated the group as a terrorist organization and have proscribed its activities. Recent reports have indicated an escalation in the frequency of attacks in the region, with some of these attacks being claimed by Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). However, the Taliban have denied any involvement in these attacks.
