Six security personnel, child injured in Zhob suicide blast

One of the soldiers is stated to be in critical condition; Taliban's Mehsud faction claims responsibility

QUETTA: Six soldiers of Pakistan Army and a child were injured as a suicide bomber blew himself near Cantt area of Zhob district in Balochistan on Friday, security sources said.

The suicide bomber driving a double cabin car blew himself at the check-post after security personnel signaled him to stop.

The attacker attempted to enter Cantt area when the Friday prayers were underway, said home secretary Balochistan, Akber Hussain Durrani while talking to The Express Tribune.



“One of the soldier is in critical condition,” hospital sources added.

Heavy contingents of law enforcement agencies rushed to the scene to cordon off the area, while the injured were shifted to Civil Hospital Zhob.

The injured were identified as Hawaldar Sajad, Hawaldar Wahid Baksh, Imam Baksh, Sepoys Kamran, Ali Ahmed, Nabi Baksh and eight-year-old Fida Hussain.

Meanwhile, Azam Masood, claiming to be spokesperson of Mehsud Taliban, called Radio Free Europe Mashal correspondent in Dera Ismail Khan and claimed responsibility for the attack.

 

This was the sixth targeted attack on security forces in Quetta since the beginning of the year as at least 19 police personnel have been killed within a month in numerous incidents of targeted killings and suicide attacks.



On Thursday, four police personnel were killed in Quetta as unidentified armed men open fired on them at a gas station in Satellite Town.