Deadly blast targets FC convoy in Noshki, five dead, more than 30 injured

NUSHKI: At least five people, including three Frontier Constabulary (FC) personnel, were killed in an apparent suicide bomb blast in the Noshki district of Balochistan.

The bomb blast also left more than 30 people injured. Some of the injured were in critical condition, and the death toll is likely to rise. 

State broadcaster PTV, quoting military sources, confirmed the deaths of three security personnel. 

Noshki police chief Hashim Mehmood confirmed the explosion but did not provide further details. 

A senior government official in Noshki said the blast occurred near the RCD Highway between Quetta and Taftan, close to Noshki city. 

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According to the official, a security forces’ convoy traveling from Quetta to Nokkundi, consisting of seven buses and two cars, was targeted. 

He said that as the convoy reached a flour mill near Noshki, an explosion occurred near one of the buses, while the remaining vehicles were targeted with rockets. 

One of the buses suffered extensive damage in the attack, he said.

The official said that a car chassis was found at the blast site, indicating that explosives may have been planted in it. Evidence from the scene suggests the possibility of a suicide attack, he said

The banned militant group, Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), has claimed responsibility for the attack. 

Eyewitnesses said security forces sealed off the area following the explosion. Shortly after the incident, two helicopters were seen flying over Noshki. 

Local residents said the blast was so powerful that its sound was heard far and wide. 

Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfaraz Bugti, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind condemned the attack. 

The chief minister vowed to bring those responsible for disturbing Balochistan’s peace to justice. 

Naqvi said that enemies of the state were engaged in a sinister plot to destabilise Pakistan. 

Where is Noshki? 

Noshki is located approximately 130 kilometres west of Quetta. It is a border district, with Afghanistan’s frontier lying about 50 kilometres to the north. 

The majority of Noshki’s population belongs to various Baloch tribes, though the city also has a significant number of Pashtun Barich tribespeople. 

Noshki has been among the insurgency-affected areas of Balochistan since 2000. 

The region has witnessed frequent attacks on security forces and government installations, as well as incidents of targeted killings. 

In February 2022, a major suicide attack targeted a FC camp in Noshki, for which the banned BLA claimed responsibility. Several personnel inside the camp were killed or injured in that attack. 

In April 2024, unidentified militants intercepted a passenger bus traveling from Quetta to Taftan near Noshki, and executed nine passengers from Punjab after identifying them.