Islamabad: At least three people were killed and 20 others injured during a suicide bombing in Pakistan's Quetta city on Sunday, rescue teams said. The incident took place at about 7.30 a.m. when the bomber hit his explosive-laden motorbike into one of the vehicles of the Frontier Corps (FC) convoy, on the outskirts of the city, Muhammad Zeeshan, manager operations at the rescue department of Edhi Foundation Quetta, told Xinhua news agency.
Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a proscribed organization, has claimed responsibility for the attack. The Balochistan Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) confirmed the suicide attack had targeted the Sohana Khan check-post at Mastung Road.
Police sources from the city told Xinhua that the FC convoy was assigned to provide security to the minority ethnic group of Hazara community in the city, and it was on its routine patrolling when it came under attack.
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The injured people including FC personnel and passers-by were shifted to a nearby hospital where several of them were said to be in critical condition, the rescue official said.
After the investigation, the bomb disposal squad said that about 5 to 6 kg of explosives were used in the attack. No group has claimed the attack yet.
The area has been cordoned off for further investigations.
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan condemned the attack on a paramilitary force check post in Quetta. Dawn newspaper reported that banned TTP claimed responsibility for the attack. "Condemn the TTP suicide attack on FC check-post, Mastung Road, Quetta. My condolences go to the families of the martyrs & prayers for the recovery of the injured. Salute our security forces & their sacrifices to keep us safe by thwarting foreign-backed terrorists' designs," Imran Khan tweeted.
IANS/ANI
