TURBAT / QUETTA: A constable was martyred and two others, inc­luding a policewoman, were injured in a suicide attack carried out by a female bomber targeting a security convoy in Turbat town on Saturday.

The banned Baloch Liberation Army’s Majeed Brigade group clai­med responsibility for Satur­day’s attack. The banned organisation identified the bomber as Sumaiya Qalandarani. This was the second suicide attack carried out by a Baloch woman after Shari Baloch targeted a van carrying Chinese teachers at Karachi University in April 2022.

Official sources said a convoy of security forces, coming from the Turbat airport area, was passing through the Chakar Azam Chowk when the suicide bomber, who was lying in wait, blew herself up.

The convoy escaped unhurt, but one of its vehicles was damaged due to impact of the explosion. At the same time, a police vehicle reached there and bore the brunt of the blast in which Constable Niaz Ahmed was martyred and two others were injured.

Turbat Deputy Commissioner Bashir Ahmed Bareech said the target of attack was the convoy of Frontier Corps. “An FC vehicle has been damaged in the incident,” the deputy commissioner told Dawn when reached on phone. Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo condemned the suicide attack and expressed grief and sorrow over the martyrdom of a constable and injuries suffered by two other officials.

In a statement, he said, “The aim of terrorism is to halt the development process and intimidate the security forces. The evil intentions of terrorists will never be successful.”

Published in Dawn, June 25th, 2023