Quetta, Pakistan – A devastating suicide bombing at Quetta Railway Station on Saturday claimed the lives of at least 26 people and injured more than 60 others, including women and children. The attacker struck just as passengers were boarding the Jaffar Express, leaving a scene of destruction and tragedy on the platform.
Following the attack, the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) released a photo of the bomber, identified as Mohammad Rafiq Bezanjo, which shows him equipped with a U.S.-made M4 rifle and other American military gear.
Forensic analysis confirmed that the rifle, uniform, ammunition jacket, and cap are all U.S.-manufactured, items reportedly accessible in Afghanistan with large sums of U.S. dollars. This discovery has heightened concerns of Indian involvement in the insurgency in Balochistan, with allegations that the BLA is receiving financial and logistical support from India’s intelligence agency, RAW.
In response to the bombing, an FIR was filed at the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) by the SHO of Railways Police Station, with charges including murder, attempted murder, terrorism, and illegal use of explosives. DNA samples were collected from the bomber’s remains for further identification.
As one of the deadliest attacks in Balochistan in recent years, the bombing has drawn national condemnation and renewed concerns about the region’s stability amid suspected foreign backing. Pakistan’s armed forces have called for unity to confront and eliminate these foreign-supported threats, emphasizing the need for national collaboration to restore peace.
Hospitals in Quetta were quickly overwhelmed with casualties in the aftermath of the explosion, as families and the community mourn the ongoing violence impacting the province bordering Afghanistan and Iran.