Nine killed, 34 injured as suicide attack targets security forces' vehicle in Quetta
QUETTA: A suicide attack targeted a security forces' vehicle near the premises of the heavily guarded Quetta district courts on Saturday.
At least eight people, including two Frontier Corps (FC) personnel, were killed on the spot and at least 35 others were wounded in the powerful explosion. Later, another wounded person succumbed to his injuries in a hospital bringing the death toll to nine.
DIG Imtiaz Shah confirmed it was a suicide attack and said the attacker blew himself up near a vehicle belonging to the FC.
The banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has claimed responsibility for the attack in an email sent to journalists. The claim could not be independently verified.
Balochistan province's home secretary Akbar Durrani told journalists that six people were injured in the blast.
"We can not ascertain right now whether it was an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) or a suicide bomb attack," said Akbar Durrani.