Quetta, May 25: A suicide attack targeted the Jafar Express shuttle on a railway track in Balochistan, Pakistan, on Sunday, resulting in multiple casualties. Local media reports indicate that the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) has claimed responsibility for the blast.
In a statement, BLA spokesperson Jayan Baloch confirmed that the attack was executed by their suicide unit, the Majid Brigade. According to the Balochistan Post, the assault specifically targeted military personnel traveling on the train.
The Jafar Express, which was transporting Pakistani soldiers from Quetta Cantt to Quetta Railway Station during Eid celebrations, was struck by the attack involving three carriages.
Federal Railway Minister Hanif Abbasi stated that the explosion occurred near the Chaman Gate as the train departed from Quetta Cantt. He reported that three carriages, including the engine, derailed, while two carriages completely overturned.
Reports indicate that 27 individuals have died, and 131 others are injured. The death toll may rise as several injured individuals are in critical condition. The BLA also released another statement identifying the attacker as 25-year-old Bilal Shahwani, also known as Sain, a member and commander of the Majid Brigade’s suicide unit.
Shahwani hailed from the Sariyab area of the Shal region and had joined the Baloch Resistance Movement for Independence in 2020. This movement aims to establish a sovereign nation in the Balochistan region occupied by Pakistan.
The spokesperson asserted that targeting military personnel aboard the Jafar Express demonstrates the BLA’s intelligence capabilities and the operational effectiveness of commander Bilal Shahwani. The statement highlighted that the decision reflects the evolution of the Baloch National Resistance from traditional guerrilla tactics to a modern military structure, prioritizing collective national goals over individual material roles.
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