Quetta: BLA claims responsibility for attack on police that killed 4, injured 18

In a deadly incident that occurred on Monday, at least four people, including two police officers, were killed and 18 others were left injured in an explosion in Quetta, the capital city of Balochistan. The police have stated that the blast was aimed at a police van. Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), a “pro-independence” group, has claimed responsibility for the attack.

The explosion occurred near a police vehicle at Qandahari Bazaar on Shahrah-i-Iqbal, as per the Quetta police officials. The explosive device, estimated to weigh between three and four kilograms, was planted in a motorcycle. Two vehicles, including the targeted police van, were heavily damaged in the attack.

As per the Quetta police, victims of the attack included two policemen, a minor girl, and several others who were critically injured, including women and children. According to the police, at least four people lost their lives in the incident.

In a media statement, the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the attack and said that the attack had left two police officers dead and at least two critically wounded. However, the BLA’s account of the incident conflicts with that of the Quetta police officials, who numbered the fatalities as four.

Jeeyand Baloch, the spokesperson for BLA, said in the media statement that the vehicle of the Superintendent of Police (SP) was targeted in an IED explosion. He further added that the insurgent groups had repeatedly warned the police to refrain from being a puppet to Pakistani security forces, but they still actively participate in activities against the Baloch national cause. Baloch accused the targeted SP of detaining innocent people on baseless charges and torturing them in custody.

Later on Monday, BLA claimed three more attacks in another statement released to the media. It said that in three separate attacks, BLA fighters targeted another Pakistani police officer in Quetta, an “enemy agent” and a construction company official in Bulaida.

The group said that its fighters targeted SHO Sariab Ehsanullah Marwat in an IED attack. He was targeted when he was patrolling in his vehicle. In the attack, the SHO and three other police officials were injured, and their vehicle was damaged.

Meanwhile, in the Bulaida area of Balochistan, BLA fighters target killed a man named Jameel Murad. According to the group, the deceased was a member of an armed gang formed by the Pakistani military and its secretive agencies.

“The targeted individual was active against Baloch activists, and was working as an informant for the enemy forces,” the statement read.

In another operation, BLA fighters targeted a construction company working on a dam in Gilli, Bulaida. This dam is being built by FWO, a subsidiary of Pakistani military.

“The dam is being built for military purposes and is also used as an excuse to bring non-locals into the area,” BLA statement said.

The group warned everyone involved in this “exploitative” project to abandon it immediately. It said that all the individuals involved in this project will continue to be targeted. BLA vowed to continue targeting Pakistani forces and its collaborators till the liberation of Balochistan.