Quetta, May 24 (IANS) The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) on Sunday claimed responsibility for the blast targeting a shuttle of the Jaffar Express in the country’s Balochistan province, local media reported.

A statement issued by the BLA’s spokesperson, Jayend Baloch, said that the BLA’s fidayeen unit “Majeed Brigade” carried out the attack.

According to the statement, the Army personnel who were travelling by the train were targeted, the Balochistan Post reported.

A shuttle of three bogies connected to Jaffar Express, which was transporting Pakistani military personnel from Quetta Cantt to Quetta Railway Station on the occasion of Eid, was targeted by the attack.

According to Haniff Abbasi, Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Railways, the explosion took place near Chaman Phatak when the train was on its route after departing from Quetta Cantt.

Three coaches, including the engine, derailed while two bogies were completely overturned, he noted.

“Twenty-seven people were killed, and 131 were injured due to the incident. The death toll might increase as some injured personnel are in critical condition,” the report noted.

The BLA also issued another statement revealing the identity of the attacker.

According to the statement, the attack was carried out by 25-year-old Bilal Shahwani, alias Sain, a member and commander of the suicide unit of the Majeed Brigade.

He was a resident of Sariab locality of Shaal area. He joined the Baloch Resistance Movement for Independence in 2020, the statement added.

The BLA spokesperson also mentioned that their successful targeting of the Army personnel who were “secretly” moving from Quetta Cantt to the Jafar Express by shuttle train is a testament to the deep penetration of the BLA’s intelligence wing, “Zarab”, and the combat skills of Commander Bilal Shahwani.

This decision shows that the Baloch national resistance has now gone beyond the traditional guerrilla method and transformed into a modern military structure where organisational commanders prioritise collective national goals over individual material roles, the spokesperson said.

–IANS

ksk/khz