Four killed, 27 injured in suicide blast in Quetta’s Baleli area: Police

Gohar Mehsud

Islamabad: At least four persons were killed, including an eight-month-old child and 27 others injured in a suicide attack on a vehicle transporting Balochistan Constabulary officials in Quetta on Wednesday, DIGP Mahesar confirmed.

The four deceased victims have been identified as Zanib Bibi, Muhammad Ibrahim, Adnan and Imran. The explosion occurred near a truck of Balochistan Constabulary truck in Baleli area of Quetta, the top police officer added.

As many as 21 police officials and six civilians suffered injuries in the blast, officials sources confirmed.

Quetta Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIGP) Ghulam Azfar Mahesar told media persons that the blast took place near a police truck which was on its way to provide security to polio workers.

DIGP Mahesar said, due to the impact of the blast, the truck toppled and fell into a ditch. According to the DIGP, the attackers were sitting in a rickshaw and hit the police truck.

The illegal armed group Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan accepted responsibility for the attack and said that it was a suicide attack that targeted police officials. On the other hand, the police also say that 20 to 25 kilograms of explosives were used in this suicide attack.

Some local media outlets reports the number of people killed in the attack has reached three and injured 27. The deceased and injured have been shifted to Quetta Seoul Hospital for medico-legal formalities.

It is to mention here that last week TTP defense head Mufti Mazaham issued a call to his fighter carrying attacks throughout Pakistan.

The correspondent is a multimedia journalist, working on human interest issues and war on terror. He tweets @tribaljournalist