15 Dead, Over Two Dozen Injured in Quetta Blast in Pakistan

Quetta is the provincial capital of Balochistan in Pakistan.

Scene from the blast.

(Photo Courtesy: Twitter/@92News)

A powerful blast targeting a military truck, on 13 August, killed at least 15 people, including eight soldiers, and injured over two dozen others in Pakistan's southwestern restive province of Balochistan.

The high intensity blast occurred in a parking lot near Pishin bus stop which is in a high security area in the provincial capital Quetta.

According to an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement, the army truck which was patrolling the area had been targeted and eight soldiers were killed in the attack.

Pakistan army chief General Javed Qamar Bajwa has condemned the "cowardly" attack meant to disrupt Independence day celebrations, the statement said, adding the attack would not deter the determination of the army to fight terrorism.

Our resolve won’t succumb to any challenge.

General Javed Qamar Bajwa, Pakistan Army General

The injured also included around 10 soldiers who were in the truck. Pakistan army has now taken control of the affected area, it said.

Balochistan's Home Minister Mir Sarfaraz Bugti said there were seven civilians among those killed in the blast.

"The bomb disposal squad has reached the spot and we will be able to confirm soon whether it was a suicide attack or a planted bomb," he said.

Bugti said around 30 injured persons were shifted to the Civil hospital for treatment and admitted that the condition of six to seven people was critical.

Earlier, several television channels had reported that around 17 dead bodies were brought to the hospital and most of them were badly charred and burnt.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility but Taliban and Islamic State militants have attacked Quetta city in the past.

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