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At least nine police officials were killed and 13 others injured in a suicide blast on Monday, 6 March in Pakistan's Balochistan province.
What happened? The incident occurred when a suicide bomber rammed his bike into a police van, which was carrying soldiers of the Balochistan Constabulary, and set off the explosive in Kunbri, Bolan.
So far, no group has claimed responsibility for the incident. However, previous such attacks have been linked to Baloch militants.
What did the police say? Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Mahmood Notezai said that the blast occurred when personnel were returning from Quetta to Sibi. "They were returning after completing security duties for the Sibi festival which ended yesterday," he said, according to news agency PTI.
Another police official said that the militants may have targeted the Sibi festival, which is held every year, but may not have been able to succeed in their plan due to heavy security. "
"So instead they targeted these men who were returning to Quetta," the official added.
A bomb squad reached the site of the blast and began their search of the area. Local administration officials and security forces are also currently at the spot.
Volatile area: Balochistan, which borders both Afghanistan and Iran, is an extremely volatile province. Baloch militant groups have often targeted projects linked to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor in the area.
This is the latest incident in a string of attacks against innocent people and security personnel in the country. January has been the deadliest month since 2018, with 134 people killed and at least 254 injured in 44 attacks.
(With inputs from PTI.)
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