Militants Attack Pakistani Paramilitary Base, Detonate Bomb; Three Assailants Killed
At least seven explosions rocked Pakistan’s Balochistan province within a span of 24 hours, culminating in a suicide attack on Sunday at the main gate of a Frontier Corps (FC) headquarters in Nokundi. According to officials, the suicide bomber detonated himself at the entrance, after which intense gunfire broke out between security forces and militants. Authorities say the attack was carried out by Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
Following the blast, security forces launched a large-scale operation inside the FC compound. Reports indicate that at least six militants had infiltrated the headquarters. The Frontier Corps South stated that a loud explosion was heard at the gate, prompting an immediate security response. Officials later claimed that three attackers were killed during the clearance operation, which they said would continue until every militant was neutralized. Security personnel were reportedly conducting room-to-room searches.
This attack follows a series of recent militant strikes across the country. Earlier, a suicide bombing at an FC complex in Peshawar killed three people. A car bomb explosion at a paramilitary base in Quetta also caused extensive damage and heightened security concerns. In recent months, Pakistan has seen a sharp rise in deadly assaults, particularly in Balochistan, where hundreds of security personnel have been killed. The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) has claimed responsibility for several such attacks in the past.
Quetta Shaken by Multiple Blasts
On Saturday, the provincial capital Quetta and the town of Dera Murad Jamali were hit by multiple explosions. Militants hurled grenades at a police checkpoint in Quetta, followed shortly by another blast near a Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) vehicle. SSP Khan stated that militants had planted improvised explosive devices (IEDs) on a railway track, which detonated just as a train was approaching the Quetta station. The explosion damaged the track, forcing authorities to suspend rail services.
In Dera Murad Jamali, militants targeted a police patrol vehicle by throwing grenades, further adding to the wave of unrest gripping the province.
These attacks highlight the escalating security challenges in Pakistan’s western regions, with both separatist and extremist outfits intensifying their activities against security forces and government installations.