Bomb blast kills 4 in Pakistan’s restive Balochistan

Islamabad, Jan 28 (EFE).- At least four people were killed and eight injured in a remote-controlled bomb blast in Pakistan’s volatile Balochistan province on Friday, officials said.

Suspected militants detonated the explosives in the Mat area of Sui in Dera Bugti district.

According to the officials, the dead included two security forces personnel.

“A remote control bomb targeted Levies forces who were searching for miscreants involved in another incident,” Khuda Bakhsh, an official at the Levies Control Room in Dera Bugti, told EFE.

The official said security forces were conducting raids in search of the perpetrators.

He said no arrests have been made so far.

Balochistan Chief Minister Abdul Quddus Bizenjo said militants had once again carried out “a cowardly act of terrorism to ruin peace in the province.”

“No effort will be spared to bring the terrorists to justice,” the chief minister said.

A lawmaker from the province, Senator Sarfraz Bugti claimed that Baloch Republican Army was behind the attack.

The claim could not be independently verified immediately.

Several ethnic Baloch armed separatist organizations are fighting the government for a separate state.

Such groups blame the central government for unfairly exploiting the rich gas and mineral resources of Balochistan province and routinely claim attacks against government forces.

The bomb blast after a fire raid on a military checkpost killed 10 soldiers on Tuesday in Kech district of Balochistan province bordering Iran.

The Pakistan army said in a statement issued Thursday night that they had apprehended three suspects in the follow up clearance operation, which was still ongoing.

Outlawed insurgent group Baloch Liberation Front (BLF) claimed responsibility for the attack. EFE

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