4 people die in Pakistan hotel bombing
QUETTA, Pakistan — A bomb exploded in the parking area of a luxury hotel in the southwestern Pakistani city of Quetta on Wednesday, killing at least four people and wounding at least nine others, police said.
It was unclear who was behind the bombing at the Serena Hotel. Police said rescuers transported victims to nearby hospitals. Footage on Pakistan news channels showed burning cars.
Southwestern Baluchistan province is the scene of a long-running insurgency by secessionist groups like the Baluchistan Liberation Front and the Baluchistan Liberation Army. The Pakistani Taliban also have a presence there.
Liaquat Shahwani, a provincial government spokesman. called the bombing an act of terrorism without elaborating. “Enemies of Pakistan are behind today’s attack,” he said.
According to senior police official Azhar Akram, some of the wounded were listed in critical condition. He provided no further details, saying police were still investigating.
Wasim Beg, a spokesperson at the provincial health department, said four people died and 12 were wounded in the bombing.
Arbab Kamran Kasi, a doctor at Quetta’s main hospital, said about a dozen wounded were being brought there and an emergency was declared at the hospital to handle victims.