Pakistan police attacked again: 9 personnel killed, 13 injured in suicide attack in Balochistan

Law-keepers in Pakistan on Monday (6) witnessed another deadly attack in less than two months since the ghastly incident at a mosque in Peshawar where 100 people -- most of whom were policemen -- were killed in a suicide bombing.

At least nine security personnel lost their lives while 13 more were injured in a suicide attack on their vehicle in Balochistan province of the south Asian nation, police sources said.

The blast occurred near a lorry of the Balochistan Constabulary personnel on the Kambri bridge on the Quetta-Sibi highway, Pakistan's Express Tribune newspaper reported.

Senior superintendent of police (SSP) of Kachhi, Mehmood Notezai, said preliminary evidence suggests it was a suicide attack.

However, the exact nature of the blast could be ascertained after investigations.

He said a bomb-disposal team reached the site of the incident and the area is being searched after the explosion.

At least nine personnel of the Balochistan Constabulary were killed and 13 were injured in the bomb attack, he added.

So far, no one has claimed responsibility for the attack.

As soon as the incident was reported, local administration and security forces reached the spot. The Balochistan Constabulary personnel were returning from duty in Sibi Mela when they were targeted. Their vehicle overturned due to the intensity of the explosion, the report said.

The bodies and injured personnel were shifted to the Sibi district of Balochistan where they were provided medical aid. The condition of some of the injured is reportedly critical.

The blast comes on the heels of attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and areas bordering Afghanistan. Since the talks with the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) broke down in November last year, the militant group has intensified its attacks while insurgents in Balochistan have also stepped up their violent activities and formalised a nexus with it.

The Balochistan province has experienced a surge in violent incidents in recent months, including bombings and targeted attacks, leading to heightened security measures and public safety concerns. On February 26, four persons were killed and 14 injured in an IED blast at a market in the Balochistan province of Pakistan.

(With PTI inputs)