At least 90 Pakistani military personnel were killed in a suicide bombing followed by an ambush on an army convoy in Balochistan’s Noshki district on Sunday, according to a statement issued by the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA).
In the statement, BLA spokesperson Jeeyand Baloch said the group’s Majeed Brigade carried out a Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED) “Fidayee” (suicide) attack near Rakhshan Mill on the RCD Highway, destroying at least one bus completely. He added that the Fateh Squad of the BLA “systematically eliminated” all personnel on board another bus.
“The convoy consisted of eight buses, one of which was completely destroyed in the explosion,”
the BLA statement read.
“Immediately after the attack, the Fateh Squad of the BLA advanced and completely surrounded another bus, systematically eliminating all military personnel on board, bringing the total number of enemy casualties to 90.”
The BLA spokesperson said that additional details about the operation would be released soon.
Pakistani officials confirmed the incident but offered different numbers, saying eleven military personnel were killed and twenty-one injured. Zafarullah Sumalani, Station House Officer (SHO) of Noshki City Police Station, told local media that the convoy—seven vehicles including buses—was traveling from Quetta toward Nokundi and Taftan when it came under attack.
“One bus was completely destroyed by the explosion,”
Mr. Sumalani said, adding that some severely wounded personnel had been evacuated to hospitals.
Following the attack, a state of emergency was declared at hospitals in Noshki and Quetta, with helicopters seen transporting injured security personnel to Combined Military Hospital (CMH) Quetta and the Frontier Corps (FC) Headquarters Hospital. Security forces have cordoned off the area surrounding the attack site near Noshki’s main road, restricting civilian movement.
Local hospital officials confirm increased activity, stating that an influx of security personnel is being treated. Helicopters and rescue vehicles were observed heading into the district, including ambulances from nearby cities.