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Bomb Blast Kills 1, Wounds 14 In Pakistan's Southwest

By RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal March 30, 2024

One person has been killed and 14 others injured in the latest bombing in Pakistan's tumultuous southwestern province of Balochistan, officials told RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal.

Javed Domki, the district administrator, said an improvised explosive device (IED) detonated alongside vehicles carrying oil and gas workers as well as members of the military.

Domki said several of those injured in the blast are in critical condition.

The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), which has been designated a terrorist organization by the United States, claimed responsibility for the attack.

Balochistan has seen an uptick in violence since the beginning of the year with more than a dozen attacks killing about 50 people. Scores more have been injured.

Balochistan, the largest province of Pakistan, is rich in natural resources like gold, copper, oil, and natural gas. However, it is also the country's poorest, feeding resentment among the Baloch people who inhabit the region.

The BLA, which was formed in 2000, is seeking to create an independent Balochistan state and regularly carries out attacks against government forces in the region.

The March 30 attack targeted members of Pakistan's Mari Petroleum Company. The BLA believes that Pakistan's central government is exploiting the province's mineral resources.

The BLA has also targeted Chinese workers developing projects in the region.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/pakistan-bomb- blast-balochistan/32884496.html

Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.