KARACHI, Sept 5: A suicide bomber of the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan blew himself up in the country’s restive Balochistan province today, killing at least four security personnel and injuring 20 people, a top police official said.
The attack targeted a Frontier Corps (FC) check post on the Mastung road in Quetta, the provincial capital, Deputy Inspector General of Quetta police Azhar Akram said.
Akram told reporters that an initial investigations suggested that the suicide bomber drove an explosives laden motorcycle into a vehicle carrying Frontier Corps.
“The bomb disposal squad has estimated that the motorcycle was laden with six kilogrammes of explosives,” he said.
Akram confirmed that four people were killed in the blast while 20 others, 18 soldiers and 2 bystanders, were injured in the attack.
“Condition of some of the injured is critical and the casualties could rise,” he said.
According to the Counter-Terrorism Department of Balochistan, the blast was a “suicide attack” and was carried out near the Sona Khan check post.
The banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the attack, sending a grim signal that the change of Government in Kabul might not end the woes of Pakistan as the country looks towards the Taliban to rein in the TTP rebels who are hiding in Afghanistan.
According to security forces, the vehicle targeted in the attack was providing security to vegetable sellers belonging to the Hazara community of the province.
Condemning the attack, Prime Minister Imran Khan took to Twitter to offer condolences to the families of those killed.
“Condemn the TTP suicide attack on FC checkpost, Mastung road, Quetta. My condolences go to the families of the martyrs & prayers for the recovery of the injured. Salute our security forces & their sacrifices to keep us safe by thwarting foreign-backed terrorists’ designs,” he said in a tweet.(PTI)
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