A roadside IED was exploded when a school bus carrying children passed by on Hanna road near Quetta.
According to details obtained by The Balochistan Post, The incident happened near Sorenj area. The bus was carrying children of Pakistani security forces personnel and employees of Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation (PMDC).
All the children in the bus remained unhurt, however, the bus driver sustained injuries. The impact of the blast smashed the windows glasses of the bus.
Soon after the attack, rescue teams and Pakistani security forces personnel arrived at the scene for further investigation.
Balochistan has faced a number of security challenges in recent months, with security personnel in the region often being targeted in roadside explosions.
BLA claims responsibility:
According to a statement released by Jeehand Baloch, spokesman of Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), they were behind the attack in Quetta.
The statement read out to media correspondents through satellite phone call said that BLA intentionally refrained from directly targeting the children as this was just a warning attack.
Mr. Baloch said: the reason their organisation carried out this warning attack was continuous targeting of Baloch women and children by Pakistani security forces all over Balochistan.
“Though, we had concrete information that children of Pakistani forces personnel are travelling in the school bus, we still avoided direct attack as it was just a message to Pakistani forces. However, if they continue murdering Baloch women and children then we will have no option but to attack in return,” Mr. Baloch stated.
Mr. Baloch further added: ‘Only few days ago two infants and three Baloch women were killed by Pakistani security forces in Nishpa, Shahrag. They also abducted four other injured women. Similar incidents have occurred in all other parts of Balochistan too.’
Mr. Baloch warned that if Pakistani security forces harmed any Baloch children or women in any part of Balochistan again then they should be ready for our strong reactions.