Pakistan (Commonwealth Union)_According to authorities, a suicide bomber on a motorbike collided with a police truck in Pakistan’s southwest region, which killed at least 10 policemen and injured 12 officers. The attack was one of the worst strikes on security forces in recent months. Although no one has immediately claimed responsibility for the blast, which occurred on a bridge in the area of Sibi in Balochistan province, Baluch separatists and local militants have been held responsible for similar attacks in the past.
According to local police commander Mahmood Notenzai, the cops were on a normal patrol when the incident occurred, initially killing nine. He said that the victims were sent to a neighboring hospital, where one of the seriously injured officers eventually died. Sibi is located approximately 150 kilometers (90 miles) east of the province capital, Quetta. According to him, the explosion flipped the truck, resulting in further casualties. In Pakistan, trucks often carry troops.
According to Notenzai, the cops who were attacked were sent to Sibi last week, where an annual cultural event was conducted under strong security. The celebration has been held for centuries to commemorate the beginning of summer. Following the incident, a military chopper was dispatched to transport the severely injured to a hospital in Quetta, where superior medical facilities are available. Last year, a suicide bomber from the militant Islamic State organization assaulted President Arif Alvi’s security convoy during the Sibi celebration. However, Alvi was distant from the blast location, which claimed the lives of five soldiers. Later, IS extremists claimed credit for the incident.
The Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shahbaz Sharif, denounced the incident. He released a statement extending his sympathies to the families of the deceased and ordered that the injured police officers receive the finest medical treatment possible. He asserted that the incident was part of an enemy plot to destabilize Pakistan, and also pledged to eradicate terrorism. The top elected official in Balochistan, Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo, strongly condemned the blast. He said, “The terrorists who are carrying out such attacks are the enemies of Pakistan,” adding that they will not shake the resolve of the country’s police.
Balochistan has long been plagued by a low-level insurgency headed by the Balochistan Liberation Army and other minor separatist organizations seeking independence from the Islamabad-based federal government. Authorities assert that the rebellion has been subdued, but bloodshed has continued. In addition, terrorists from both the Pakistani Taliban and the Islamic State have also launched strikes in the province.
