Sun Jan 05 03:45:51 UTC 2025: ## Balochistan Bus Bombing Kills Four, Injures 32
**KARACHI, PAKISTAN –** A bomb exploded near a passenger bus in Turbat, Balochistan, Pakistan on Saturday, killing four and injuring 32. The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), a banned separatist group, claimed responsibility for the attack, stating that the improvised explosive device (IED) targeted a military convoy. However, police sources indicate that the bus, carrying a wedding party including senior police officer SSP Zohaib Mohsin and his family, may have been the intended target.
The blast occurred in the New Bahman area as the bus traveled from Karachi to Turbat. Casualty figures vary, with the BLA reporting higher numbers than official police accounts. Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti condemned the attack, denouncing those responsible as inhumane.
The incident highlights the ongoing insurgency in Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest but least populated province. The region is home to the ethnic Baloch minority, who allege government discrimination and have engaged in a long-running conflict with the state. Several separatist and militant groups operate within the province, frequently targeting security forces. A comprehensive government operation against militants in the area has been announced.
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