Reuters: At least 10 people were killed in a suicide bombing outside the headquarters of a paramilitary force in the southwestern Pakistani city of Quetta on Tuesday, officials said.
Following the blast, several gunmen stormed the compound, sparking a gun battle with security forces, provincial Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti said in televised remarks.
Bugti confirmed the suicide bomber was driving a pickup truck, while security forces killed four additional attackers during the clash.
“These cowardly attacks cannot deter us from bringing development and prosperity to our people,” he said.
Provincial Health Minister Bakht Kakar told Reuters that 10 people, including both civilians and soldiers, were killed in the assault. Another 33 were injured. He added that paramilitary personnel were among the dead, though the exact number was not immediately clear.
Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province, lies near the borders with Afghanistan and Iran. The mineral-rich region is home to Gwadar Port, a key project under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), part of President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative worth $65 billion.
Both Islamist militants and separatist insurgents have intensified attacks in the province in recent months. No group has yet claimed responsibility for Tuesday’s bombing.
Separatist groups, who often target Pakistani security forces and Chinese nationals or their projects, say they are fighting for a greater share of local resources. Islamist militants, meanwhile, have long sought to topple the government and impose their own strict interpretation of Islamic rule.
Islamabad has accused arch-rival India of backing militant groups to destabilise the region, where Pakistan is seeking international investment in mines and minerals — a charge New Delhi denies.
