Suicide bomber hits Balochistan, 10 killed
At least 10 security personnel were killed and 12 others were injured in a suicide attack on their vehicle in Pakistan's restive Balochistan province on Monday
Where it happened
The blast occurred in the mountainous region of Kacchi district in Bolan of the province on the Quetta-sibi highway
How it happened
A motorcyclist laden with explosives hit a van carrying soldiers of the Balochistan Constabulary when the policemen when returning from Sibi to Quetta. The truck overturned due to the intensity of the blast
Eye on Sibi festival?
Officials said that militants might have tried to target the Sibi festival, an annual three-day cultural event, but unable to breach the high security cover, shifted focus to the police unit
The polic unit
The Balochistan Constabulary is a department of the provincial police force that provides security at important events and in sensitive areas, including jails
Troubled history of the region
Balochistan, bordering Iran and Afghanistan, is home to a long-running violent insurgency. Baloch insurgent groups have previously carried out several attacks targeting the $60 billion China-pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects
Spike in attacks
Pakistan has witnessed a spike in terror attacks in recent weeks and January was the deadliest month since 2018 with 134 people having lost their lives and 254 others injured in at least 44 attacks across the country
Double whammy of TTP, Baloch insurgents
While no group has claimed responsibility for Monday’s attack, since the talks between the government and the Tehreek-e-taliban Pakistan (TTP) broke down in November last year, the militant group has intensified its attacks while insurgents in Balochistan have also stepped up their violent activities and formalised a nexus