The attack occurred in the Naushki district of Balochistan. Police chief Zafar Zamanani told PTI that the blast was so powerful that it damaged another bus near the target as well.

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The dead and the wounded were immediately transported to a hospital. The chief minister of Balochistan, Sarfaraz Bugti condemned the attack.

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In a statement, the Balochistan Liberation Army took responsibility for the attack and claimed, as quoted by India Today, “The Majeed Brigade, the Fidayee unit of the Baloch Liberation Army, targeted a convoy of the occupying Pakistani military a few hours ago in a VBIED Fidayee attack near Rakhshan Mill on the RCD Highway in Noshki. The convoy consisted of eight buses, one of which was completely destroyed in the explosion.”

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They also claimed, according to an India Today report, that, “Immediately after the attack, the Fateh Squad of the BLA advanced and completely surrounded another bus, systematically eliminating all military personnel on board, bringing the total number of enemy casualties to 90.”

HT could not independently verify this information.

The Balochistan Liberation Army is a militant group that seeks independence for the region due to the alleged discriminatory treatment of the central government.

Earlier this week, the Balochistan Liberation Army hijacked the train Jaffar Express, taking around 400 people on board hostage and killing 26 of them.

Security forces retaliated against the militants in a bid to rescue the hostages and killed 33 of the attackers as well.