At least 11 people have been confirmed dead following two separate blasts in Pakistan’s restive Balochistan province.
The attacks, which happened on Thursday, underline the worsening security crisis in the mineral-rich region bordering Afghanistan and Iran.
Officials said the first explosion occurred when a suicide bomber rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into a convoy of paramilitary soldiers in Dasht, near the Iranian border.
Five people, including three soldiers, were killed in the attack. The Baloch Liberation Army, a separatist group long opposed to the Pakistani state, later claimed responsibility.
The second blast struck later the same day near the Chaman border crossing with Afghanistan.
Authorities confirmed that six laborers lost their lives in the explosion, which added to the rising civilian toll.
Local official Imtiaz Ali Baloch told reporters that rescue teams rushed to the site but several victims died on the spot.
Militancy has been on the rise in Balochistan, where separatist groups and Islamist militants continue to target security forces and civilians.
The province, rich in natural resources, has suffered a decades-long insurgency fueled by grievances over alleged discrimination and underdevelopment.
The Pakistani government has launched an intensified counter-terrorism crackdown in recent months, deploying additional forces across sensitive areas.
However, rights groups have accused security agencies of abuses, including arbitrary arrests and detentions of local residents.
The region has also witnessed deadly attacks from Islamist extremists.
Earlier this month, at least 15 people were killed in Quetta, the provincial capital, when a suicide bomber linked to the Islamic State group struck a political rally.
Security analysts warn that the dual threat of separatist violence and extremist terrorism is stretching Pakistan’s security forces thin.
The latest bloodshed comes as authorities try to assure investors and foreign partners of stability in a province central to major infrastructure projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.
The rising violence in Balochistan poses a serious challenge to Islamabad’s counter-terrorism strategy and raises concerns about the safety of civilians, especially in areas close to the Afghan border.
The post JUST IN: 11 Killed in Deadly Blasts in Pakistan first appeared on Diaspora Digital Media DDM.
