Police forces and Pakistan’s Independence Day celebration stall were attacked in Quetta city of Balochistan, the Baloch Liberation Army claimed responsibility for the attacks.
According to details, Police force was targeted in an IED attack in front of Quetta Sarena Hotel in capital city of Balochistan, on Sunday. The attack resulted in killing 2 police officials and injuring 12 other policemen.
The Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Police confirmed that the blast has killed 2 policemen and injured 18 people. 12 policemen are also among the injured in the blast, Mohammed Azhar Akram said.
The injured were rushed to civil hospital Quetta for medical treatment. The blast shattered the windows of nearby buildings and shook the entire city. Security forces cordoned off the area after the blast and started an investigation.
Traffic was suspended after the blast by the administration. Long queues of vehicles were witnessed because of the suspension of the traffic.
The area where the bomb went off is the most sensitive part of Quetta city. The area houses Serena Hotel, Balochistan High Court, Balochistan Assembly, and other important offices.
Later in the day, another bomb attack was reported on Saryab Road in Quetta city. Militants targeted Pakistani National Day stall near Sada Bahar Terminal in a grenade attack. The blast injured the stall owner, who was selling Pakistani flags and badges for 14th of August, the day Pakistan celebrates its national day.
A few hours later, Baloch “pro-independence” armed group the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for both attacks. BLA spokesperson Jeeyand Baloch said in his statement “the freedom fighters of Baloch Liberation Army targeted a truck of Pakistani police and a stall installed to celebrate Pakistan’s so-called independence day.”
Mr Baloch said that BLA once again warns the Baloch people to stay away from the so-called Independence Day celebrations of the occupying forces this year as usual, as BLA can target these events and the people who organize them anywhere and anytime.
Whereas, in another statement released by BLA, on Sunday, in which the group claimed responsibility for two separate attacks in different areas of Balochistan.
The spokesperson said that BLA fighters bombed the Pakistani army personnel at Zard-aloo in the Shahrag area of Harnai, on Saturday. “The attack was carried out when enemy troops were heading for a patrolling from the Zard-aloo check post on motorcycles. The blast resulted in killing an enemy soldier on the spot and damaged a motorcycle,” he added.
The statement further said that the BLA targeted a check post of the Pakistan army in Tump area of Kech district. “Grenade launchers and other weaponry was used in the attack, which inflicted casualties and financial losses on the enemy forces”, the statement read.