Bomb attack near railway station in southwest Pakistan kills at least 23

By Asim Khan in Quetta, and Sophie Tanno, CNN

(CNN) — At least 23 people have been killed and 71 injured after a suicide bomb attack near a railway station in the southwestern Pakistani city of Quetta on Sunday as a train was passing through.

The militant organization Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), which demands independence from Pakistan’s central government, has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Preliminary findings suggest the explosion was a suicide blast, police said.

Rescue and evacuation operations are still ongoing at the site, according to one emergency worker, Muhammad Zeeshan. Authorities have cordoned off the area while security forces and bomb disposal teams investigate the nature of the explosion.

At least 23 bodies have been recovered from the scene and 71 injured passengers have been transferred to hospitals, rescue officials said. An emergency has been declared in hospitals of Quetta.

Deputy Superintendent Police (City) Qadir Qambrani said that the number of casualties may rise further, adding that more than 100 people are believed to be either dead or injured, though figures are still being verified as rescue operations continue at the derailment site.

Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi visited Quetta in the wake of the attack on Sunday and chaired a meeting alongside the chief minister of Balochistan province, of which Quetta is the capital. During the meeting, Naqvi expressed solidarity with the people, saying that “beasts targeted innocent people with extreme brutality.”

Pakistan’s oil- and mineral-rich Balochistan province has long seen bouts of violence from separatist groups. The BLA have previously claimed responsibility for large-scale bombings and suicide operations in the region.

In February, the BLA claimed responsibility for suicide and gun attacks in Balochistan, which Pakistan’s military said killed at least 33 people.

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