Soldier martyred in Kalat suicide blast

QUETTA:

A female suicide bomber hit a convoy of security forces on the RCD Highway (N-25), near Midway Kalat, resulting in the martyrdom of one soldier and injuries to four others, a senior district official confirmed on Monday.

Kalat Deputy Commissioner Bilal Shabir said that the explosion occurred at around 2:55 pm, severely damaging the forces’ vehicle and causing panic among passers-by. He said that rescue teams and security personnel swiftly reached the scene and initiated rescue operations.

The injured soldiers were immediately transported to a nearby medical facility, where one was reported to be in critical condition while the others were stable. Security in the area has been tightened following the attack, and a search operation is under way.

Police and security forces are present at the site, with investigations ongoing to uncover further details. The Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) also conducted a sweep of the area to prevent further untoward incidents.

Later, the interior ministry stated in a post on microblogging website of X that a Frontier Corps (FC) personnel was martyred in a suicide attack on a convoy on the national highway near the Mughalzai area of Balochistan’s Kalat district. The martyred soldier was identified as Attaullah.

The statement posted on the ministry’s X account said Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi ordered best medical treatment to the four injured FC personnel. “We appreciate the FC’s eternal sacrifices for the establishment of peace in Balochistan. We salute the indelible sacrifices of FC,” Naqvi said.

On Sunday, the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS) — an Islamabad-based thinktank—said that the month of February 2025 saw a marginal increase in terrorist attacks but a sharp surge in civilian casualties country-wide, while Balochistan remained the most volatile province.

It said that the province recorded 32 terrorist attacks in the month of February that claimed 56 lives, including 35 civilians, 10 security personnel, and 11 terrorists. The attacks left 44 people injured, including 32 security forces personnel and 12 civilians, it added.

(WITH INPUT FROM NEWS DESK)