At least 10 people, including FC personnel, were killed and more than 30 others injured in a suicide attack on the Frontier Corps (FC) Headquarters in Quetta, the capital of Balochistan, on Tuesday.
According to reports, a suicide bomber rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into the entrance of the Frontier Corps headquarters on Zarghoon Road in Model Town, Quetta. The blast was followed by five heavily armed men, triggering a clash with military personnel.
Locals reported that the explosion occurred on Tuesday morning on Zarghoon Road, a central area of Quetta city. The intensity of the blast was such that it was heard from a long distance, shattering windowpanes of nearby buildings hundreds of feet away.
Police officials said the attack targeted the FC headquarters. The explosion caused extensive damage to the gate and boundary wall of the compound.
Police claimed that passengers on the bus sustained heavy casualties as the vehicle was badly damaged. Following the explosion, gunfire was also heard in the area.
According to a police officer, the exchange of fire took place between FC personnel and the attackers attempting to enter the compound.
Chief Minister Balochistan Sarfraz Bugti said four “terrorists” tried to storm the headquarters after the suicide attack, but security personnel shot them dead on the road, foiling the attempt.
Balochistan Health Minister Bakht Mohammad Kakar told the media that ten people, including civilians and military personnel were killed and more than 30 injured in the attack. The bodies and injured were shifted to Civil Hospital and Cantonment Military Hospitals (CMH), where a state of emergency was declared.
Following the attack, Pakistani security forces cordoned off the area and began collecting evidence from the scene. CCTV footage of the incident showed a Suzuki vehicle suddenly turning toward the FC headquarters gate, followed by a massive explosion with flames, smoke, and dust rising.
Aftermath of the Quetta blast:
The FC Headquarters was targeted in the attack. Reportedly, a suicide bomber rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into the main gate, killing at least 10, injuring 30 more.
A security officer, speaking on condition of anonymity to the media, said the vehicle was packed with explosives. The suicide bomber, wearing an FC uniform, rammed into the gate, after which four armed men attempted to enter but were shot dead by FC personnel.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far.