A bus carrying employees of Saindak Project has been attacked in Dalbandin on Saturday morning, causing multiple casualties.
According to the details received by the Balochistan Post, a suicide attacker has targeted a bus carrying foreign engineers and other employees of Saindak project in Dalbandin city of Chaghi district.
There are reports of multiple deaths and injuries in the attack. Many Chinese engineers have also been injured.
The bus targeted in the attack was carrying Chinese engineers from Dalbandin airport to Saindak copper project, a joint venture between Pakistan and China to extract gold, copper and silver from an area close to the Iranian border.
The suicide attack was carried out 3km west to Dalbandin city, near Degree College.
“The attacker, waiting in a small truck along the route, exploded the vehicle when the bus carrying Chinese engineers came close to him,” said Dostain Dashti, a senior police officer in the region.
According to initial details, the security forces cordoned off the entire area and injured were initially taken to Shah Fahd hospital for treatment. However, Chinese engineers were then taken by air to Karachi, whereas, personnel of security forces, who were injured in the attack, were taken to Quetta.
BLA takes responsibility:
Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) has claimed responsibility for the attack on Twitter and a video of the suicide attacker has also been released to media. BLA has said that the attack was carried out by Rehan Baloch, a member of BLA’s Majeed Birgade – a group that as per BLA comprises of ‘fidayeens’ (suicide attackers).
In the video, a young-looking man holding an automatic weapon, speaks in English language and says: ‘We have warned China multiple times to shun plundering Baloch resources and refrain from becoming part of any Pakistani exploitative designs. We have asked China time and again to take their engineers and workers out of Balochistan. However, China never paid heed to our justified demands seriously and instead further surge in these exploitative projects was observed.’
The attacker accuses that ‘with China’s help, Pakistan has intensified its offensive against Baloch nation and thousands have been killed and thousands of villages have been destroyed in Pakistani military operations.’
The attacker in the video claims that “my this act is against such injustice and in the defence of my nation, my land and for the protection of our natural resources. Through this act, I want to make China and its people realise that whosoever will try to meddle in Baloch issues without Baloch nation’s consent will face the wrath of Baloch nation.”
The Balochistan Post has learnt that Rehan is elder son of Ustad Aslam Baloch, BLA’s senior commander.