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2024 Quetta railway station bombing

Coordinates: 30°11′30″N 67°0′3″E / 30.19167°N 67.00083°E / 30.19167; 67.00083
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2024 Quetta railway station bombing
Part of the insurgency in Balochistan
A CCTV still of the bombing
LocationQuetta railway station, Quetta, Balochistan, Pakistan
Coordinates30°11′30″N 67°0′3″E / 30.19167°N 67.00083°E / 30.19167; 67.00083
Date9 November 2024
c. 8:25 a.m. (UTC+05:00)
TargetPakistani soldiers
Attack type
Suicide bombing
WeaponsExplosives
Deaths32 (including the perpetrator)
Injured62[1][2]
PerpetratorsBalochistan Liberation Army
AssailantMuhammad Rafiq Bizenjo †
MotiveBaloch nationalism

On 9 November 2024, at least 32 people were killed and 62 others were injured in a suicide bombing at Quetta railway station in Quetta, Balochistan, Pakistan.[3][4] The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), a separatist militant group, claimed responsibility for the attack.[5][2] It was the first time that the BLA had attacked the centre of Quetta.[6]

Background

The Quetta railway station in 2023

The Quetta Railway Station is a major transport hub in Quetta and one of the largest stations in the province of Balochistan.[7]

Attack

At around 8:25 a.m., a suicide bomber detonated an explosive device on a crowded platform near the ticket office in the station, where around 150 to 200 people were waiting to board a train travelling to Rawalpindi. The explosion damaged the platform's roof and destroyed a tea stall. At least 32 people were killed, including soldiers and railway employees, and another 62 were injured. Several of the victims were taken to the hospital in critical condition.[2][6][3]

The Balochistan Liberation Army, an ethnic secessionist group designated as a terrorist organization by China,[8] the European Union,[9] Iran, [10] Pakistan,[11] Russia,[12] United Kingdom,[13] and the United States,[14][15] issued a statement claiming responsibility for the bombing saying it was carried out by the group's Majeed Brigade.[16] The group said that it targeted soldiers, which the inspector-general of police in Balochistan, Moazzam Jah Ansari, described as being from the "Infantry School".[2][17] The Counter Terrorism Department reported that the bomber had carried 8–10 kilograms (18–22 lb) of explosive material inside a bag.[1][18]

Casualties

Thirty-two people, including the perpetrator, were killed in the bombing, and 62 others were injured.[19] The bomber's remains were sent for DNA testing for identification. Twenty-four of the victims were transferred to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) and 13 to the Trauma Centre. Hospital officials stated that 25 injured patients were initially treated and discharged.[1]

Perpetrator

On 10 November 2024, the Balochistan Liberation Army released a photo of the bomber and identified him as Muhammad Rafiq Bizenjo. Bizenjo joined the BLA in 2017 under the alias "Washen" and volunteered for a suicide attack in 2023. He joined and trained with the Majeed Brigade for over a year.[20][21]

Aftermath

Two trains at the railway station, the Jaffar Express and the Bolan Mail, were suspended for four days after the bombing due to security concerns.[22]

The Balochistan government declared three days of mourning from 11 to 13 November while security measures across Quetta were significantly increased.[23]

Reactions

The attack was condemned by Balochistan chief minister Sarfraz Bugti, National Assembly of Pakistan speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq,[18] and Pakistani prime minister Shehbaz Sharif, along with the foreign ministries of Afghanistan,[2] Iran,[24] Sri Lanka,[25] the United Arab Emirates,[26][27] Jordan,[28] the State of Palestine,[29] and Turkey, and the US mission to Pakistan.[30] World leaders and diplomats including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim,[31] United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and British High Commissioner Jane Marriott[32] conveyed their condolences and condemned the attack.[33]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Baloch, Mohammad (10 November 2024). "26 die in Quetta railway station suicide bombing". The News International. Retrieved 10 November 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e Sattar, Abdul (9 November 2024). "A powerful suicide bombing at a rail station in southwestern Pakistan kills at least 26". AP News. Retrieved 9 November 2024.
  3. ^ a b Zehri, Abdullah (9 November 2024). "24 killed, at least 50 injured in blast at Quetta Railway Station". Dawn. Archived from the original on 12 November 2024.
  4. ^ Gul, Ayaz (9 November 2024). "Suicide blast kills 25 at train station in southwestern Pakistan". Voice of America.
  5. ^ ur-Rehman, Zia (9 November 2024). "Train Station Suicide Bombing Leaves Dozens Dead or Wounded in Pakistan". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 12 November 2024.
  6. ^ a b "At least 26 killed in railway station bombing in Pakistan's Quetta". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 9 November 2024.
  7. ^ "Quetta Railway Station". railwaystations.pk. 30 January 2023. Retrieved 9 November 2024.
  8. ^ "Joint Statement Third Quadrilateral Meeting of Foreign Ministers of China, Iran, Pakistan, and Russia_Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China".
  9. ^ Ricks, Thomas E. (31 March 2016). "Balochistan is seething, and that can't make China happy about investing". Archived from the original on 20 May 2019. Retrieved 28 June 2019.
  10. ^ "Joint Statement Third Quadrilateral Meeting of Foreign Ministers of China, Iran, Pakistan, and Russia_Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China".
  11. ^ Raza, Irfan (10 April 2006). "BLA declared terrorist organisation, banned". Dawn. Archived from the original on 4 September 2018. Retrieved 10 April 2006.
  12. ^ "Joint Statement Third Quadrilateral Meeting of Foreign Ministers of China, Iran, Pakistan, and Russia_Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China".
  13. ^ "Proscribed terrorist groups". Home Office. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
  14. ^ "Terrorist Designations of Balochistan Liberation Army and Husain Ali Hazzima and Amendments to the Terrorist Designations of Jundallah". U.S. Department of State. 2 July 2019. Archived from the original on 2 July 2019. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
  15. ^ "US brands BLA as global terrorist group". Dawn News. 2 July 2019. Archived from the original on 2 July 2019. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
  16. ^ Shahid, Saleem (9 November 2024). "26 martyred in Quetta railway station explosion". Dawn. Retrieved 9 November 2024.
  17. ^ "Bomb blast at Pakistan train station kills at least 24". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 November 2024.
  18. ^ a b Whitehead, Jamie; Ferreira Santos, Sofia (9 November 2024). "Pakistan suicide bomb blast: At least 25 killed in Quetta railway station explosion". BBC. Retrieved 9 November 2024.
  19. ^ "Inside the Deadly Quetta Railway Station Attack and Its Aftermath – TBP Report". The Balochistan Post. 10 November 2024. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
  20. ^ "BLA reveals identity of terrorist behind Quetta railway station blast". Dunya News. 10 November 2024. Retrieved 10 November 2024.
  21. ^ "BLA Details Quetta Blast, Says 31 Army Personnel Killed in 'Fidayee' Attack". Balochistan Post. 10 November 2024. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
  22. ^ "Two trains suspended Following Quetta Railway Station Bombing". Aaj English TV. 10 November 2024. Retrieved 10 November 2024.
  23. ^ "Balochistan Declares Three Days of Mourning for Quetta Railway Station Attack Victims". Quetta Voice. 10 November 2024. Retrieved 10 November 2024.
  24. ^ "Tehran strongly condemns deadly train station blast in Pakistan's Quetta". Tehran Times. 9 November 2024.
  25. ^ "World leaders condemn deadly terror attack in Pakistan". www.aa.com.tr. 10 November 2024.
  26. ^ "UAE condemns Pakistan railway station attack". Dubai Eye 103.8. 10 November 2024.
  27. ^ "UAE strongly condemns terrorist attack at railway station in Quetta, Pakistan". Gulf News. 10 November 2024.
  28. ^ "Jordan Strongly Condemns Terrorist Attack at Pakistan Railway Station". Fana News. Federation of Arab News Agencies. 10 November 2024.
  29. ^ "Ministry of Foreign Affairs Condemns the Terrorist Attack at Quetta Railway Station in Pakistan". Ministry Of Foreign Affairs & Expatriates Palestine. 10 November 2024.
  30. ^ "US condemns Quetta bombing". Business Recorder. 10 November 2024.
  31. ^ "MALAYSIA CONDEMNS SUICIDE ATTACK IN QUETTA, PAKISTAN". Bernama. 11 October 2024.
  32. ^ "British High Commissioner condemns Quetta attack, calls it divisive act". The Express Tribune. 9 November 2024.
  33. ^ "World leaders condemn suicide bombing at Quetta railway station". DAWN. 10 November 2024.
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