Roadside Bombing Shakes Pakistan's Baluchistan, Suspicions of Separatist Militants Grow
Roadside bomb kills three in Pakistan's Baluchistan province. Suspicions point to Baloch separatist groups, amplifying violence in the volatile area already plagued by militant activities.
A roadside bomb exploded in Pakistan's Baluchistan province on Sunday, resulting in the death of three individuals. The bomb was planted on a dirt road in the Balgatar area of Kech district and was detonated remotely, according to police officer Mohammad Rahim. The victims, two of whom were brothers, were traveling to a family gathering when the explosion occurred. A privately owned car was also destroyed in the blast. Though no group has claimed responsibility for the attack, suspicions point towards Baloch nationalists turned separatist groups who have been involved in a low-level insurgency in the province for over two decades.
Three fatalities occurred in the Hoshab area of Kech district, Balochistan, as an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) detonated. The victims were traveling in a car when a roadside bomb exploded. Levies Force is investigating. #Balochistan #Kech pic.twitter.com/wTEVyeO3I2
— EagleTRAC (@7_brbrbr) November 19, 2023
These groups have been calling for independence from the central government in Islamabad. Kech district and its surrounding areas have experienced violence for years, with insurgent groups taking responsibility for attacks on security forces and civilian targets in recent months. It is worth noting that Islamic militants and a banned Sunni extremist group also operate in the province, exacerbating the volatile situation. The country, already facing multiple issues, has seen an increase in terror activities, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, following the end of a ceasefire between the government and the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in November of last year. Instances of similar attacks have occurred previously in the region, underscoring the ongoing threat.
For example, last year, a deadly explosion took place in a crowded mosque inside a highly secured police compound in Peshawar, resulting in the deaths of numerous security personnel. The TTP, an umbrella group of several militant outfits, orchestrated the attack. This terrorist group, closely associated with al-Qaeda, has been responsible for various deadly incidents in Pakistan, including assaults on military bases, the bombing of the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad in 2008, and the notorious attack on the Army Public School in Peshawar in 2014, which claimed the lives of 131 students and sent shockwaves worldwide.