A suicide bombing followed by an ambush on a Pakistani military convoy in Balochistan’s Noshki district on Sunday killed at least 90 soldiers, according to a statement issued by the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA). The attack, which involved a Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED), was claimed by the group’s Majeed Brigade.
In a statement, BLA spokesperson Jeeyand Baloch said, “The Majeed Brigade, the Fidayee unit of the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), targeted a convoy of the occupying Pakistani military a few hours ago in a VBIED Fidayee attack near Rakhshan Mill on the RCD Highway in Noshki.”
The BLA said the convoy consisted of eight buses, one of which was completely destroyed in the explosion. The group further claimed that its Fateh Squad surrounded another bus and “systematically eliminated all military personnel on board, bringing the total number of enemy casualties to 90.”
Pakistani Officials Dispute BLA’s Casualty Figures, Emergency Declared At Hospitals In Noshki And Quetta
However, Pakistani officials have disputed the BLA’s casualty figures. Zafarullah Sumalani, Station House Officer (SHO) of Noshki City Police Station, told local media that eleven military personnel were killed and twenty-one injured in the attack, The Balochistan Post reported. According to him, the convoy—comprising seven vehicles, including buses—was en route from Quetta to Nokundi and Taftan when it came under attack.
“One bus was completely destroyed by the explosion,” Sumalani said, adding that several critically wounded personnel had been evacuated to hospitals, as per The Balochistan Post’s report.
According to a police official cited by news agency PTI, initial evidence suggested that a suicide attacker rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into the FC convoy. “After the blast, some other terrorists opened fire on the FC personnel, but in retaliatory firing, two of them were killed,” the official said. Three militants, including the suicide bomber, died in the attack. Two civilians also lost their lives, as per PTI.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Hashim Momand stated that the blast was of high intensity and left at least 30 paramilitary personnel injured. They have been shifted to a hospital for treatment.
Following the attack, a state of emergency was declared at hospitals in Noshki and Quetta, with helicopters transporting the injured to Combined Military Hospital (CMH) Quetta and the Frontier Corps (FC) Headquarters Hospital, the report stated. Security forces have cordoned off the area around the attack site, restricting civilian movement.
Local hospital officials confirmed that a significant number of security personnel were being treated, while rescue helicopters and ambulances from nearby cities were seen heading towards the district, as per the report.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, and Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti condemned the attack and expressed their condolences.
“Such cowardly acts cannot shake our resolve against terrorism,” Sharif said in a statement, directing authorities to ensure the best possible treatment for the injured.
Bugti, in an official release, vowed, “Those who play with the peace of Balochistan will be brought to a tragic end.”
Naqvi denounced the attack as an act of brutality and extended condolences to the victims’ families. He emphasised that anti-state elements were attempting to destabilise the country but asserted that such acts would not deter national resolve.
Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind also condemned the attack, calling it a direct assault on innocent lives.
Rising Insurgency In Balochistan
Balochistan has witnessed a surge in terror attacks over the past year. The province, which shares borders with Iran and Afghanistan, has been the centre of a long-running insurgency, with Baloch militant groups frequently targeting security personnel, government infrastructure, and China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects.
Baloch militants have also been known to attack railway infrastructure. Last week, BLA militants ambushed the Jaffar Express in Bolan district, killing 21 passengers and four paramilitary soldiers before the army eliminated all 33 attackers on March 12.
