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Bomb attack by separatists kills 13 on Pakistan train | Bomb attack by separatists kills 13 on Pakistan train |
(about 17 hours later) | |
At least 13 people have been killed by a bomb blast on a passenger train in south-west Pakistan. | |
The explosion at a station in Balochistan injured dozens of people and officials said the death toll was expected to rise. | |
The United Baloch Army (UBA), one of several armed separatist groups in the region, said it was behind the attack. | |
The incident comes a day after Pakistani forces launched an offensive against militants in the province. | The incident comes a day after Pakistani forces launched an offensive against militants in the province. |
The train, known as the Jaffar Express, is a daily express service covering a 1,460km (900-miles journey from Rawalpindi in Punjab province to Quetta in Balochistan. | |
The bomb was set off as the train pulled to a stop and passengers were disembarking at Sibi station, around 160km (100 miles) south of Quetta, the provincial capital. | The bomb was set off as the train pulled to a stop and passengers were disembarking at Sibi station, around 160km (100 miles) south of Quetta, the provincial capital. |
Mohammad Nazar, one of the police officers at the scene, said two of the train's carriages quickly became engulfed by flames and several passengers on board struggled to escape. | Mohammad Nazar, one of the police officers at the scene, said two of the train's carriages quickly became engulfed by flames and several passengers on board struggled to escape. |
"We have recovered 12 dead bodies from the train," he said, adding that one of the injured had died after being taken to hospital. | "We have recovered 12 dead bodies from the train," he said, adding that one of the injured had died after being taken to hospital. |
"I can't say whether the dead are adults or children as they are beyond recognition," he added. | "I can't say whether the dead are adults or children as they are beyond recognition," he added. |
Pakistan's railways minister Khawaja Saad Rafique said the same service had been attacked only a few days earlier, but there were no casualties. | Pakistan's railways minister Khawaja Saad Rafique said the same service had been attacked only a few days earlier, but there were no casualties. |
"A few days ago terrorists fired upon a train when it came out of a tunnel [in Balochistan], but they ran away when security forces responded to firing. | |
"We will have to review the security and find out the cracks from where the terrorists slipped in and planted the explosives," he added. | "We will have to review the security and find out the cracks from where the terrorists slipped in and planted the explosives," he added. |
The Frontier Corps, a regional unit of the Pakistani army, said they killed 40 militants during an operation against separatist groups in Balochistan on Monday. | |
A spokesman for the UBA said the bomb blast was a "revenge attack" for the Pakistani offensive and warned of more attacks in the region in the coming days. | A spokesman for the UBA said the bomb blast was a "revenge attack" for the Pakistani offensive and warned of more attacks in the region in the coming days. |
Bordering both Iran and Afghanistan, Balochistan has seen a low-level separatist insurgency for years as well as sectarian violence. | |
The separatists claim that the people of the region fail to benefit from its natural resources and are subjected to human rights abuses, which the government denies. | The separatists claim that the people of the region fail to benefit from its natural resources and are subjected to human rights abuses, which the government denies. |
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