Deadly ambush: Attack on Quetta Express leaves 3 dead, 19 injured

Militants targeted the Peshawar-bound train from a nearby mountain top.


Shezad Baloch August 29, 2011

QUETTA:



At least three people were killed and 19 others injured when a group of armed men opened fire and lobbed rockets on a passenger train near Mach Town, some 60 kilometers southeast of Quetta on Sunday.


Qaim Ali, the assistant commissioner of Mach, told reporters that the Peshawar-bound Quetta Express had just crossed Irak Station in Kachhi district, popularly known as Bolan, when it came under heavy attack.

Armed men who had taken up positions at a nearby mountain top to ambush the passing train first launched three to four rockets and then opened indiscriminate sub-machinegun fire. Personnel of Frontier Corps, Police and Balochistan Levies returned fire and chased the attackers who fled the scene, official sources said.

A spokesman from the banned outfit Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) later telephoned newspaper offices to blatantly claim responsibility for the attack.

The deceased and injured were taken to Provincial Sandeman Hospital Quetta where the three deceased were identified as Maqbol Ahmed, resident of Vehari, Mujeeb Ahmed, resident of Bahawalpur and Rahim Bakhsh, resident of Nasirabad. According to hospital sources, all victims received bullet wounds while four of the injured are in critical condition.

“I heard two explosions followed by intense firing and remained under my seat. It’s a good thing the driver did not stop the train till reaching Mach station,” one of the injured Mushtaq told The Express Tribune.

Nawab Mohammad Aslam Raisani, the chief minister of Balochistan has strongly condemned the incident and said the “Assailants don’t deserve to be called Muslims as they did not spare innocent people during the holy month of Ramazan. This is terrorism and culprits will be dealt with iron hands.”

According to security officials the train stayed at Mach station for three hours after the incident before resuming its journey to Peshawar.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 29th,  2011.

COMMENTS (10)

Due | 12 years ago | Reply

Crimes against Pakistan and innocent people by Foreign hands that have been funding their puppets with massive weapons to create terrorism and bloodshed to weaken the country. There has been an urgent need for strict security for a long time and it is now past due!

Truth lives | 12 years ago | Reply

This is just one of the many daily sad scenes happening through out Pakistan. So many daily attacks on the Pakistani public from so many directions. The government ought to have been better prepared and not open any friendship borders for trade or tourism as that has invited terrorist waiting for opportunaties. Pakistan has had enough warnings and rude awakenings to tighten up its gaurds and borders but instead they seem to open so called friendship bus routes to india for so called trade . . . .this is no time for such gestures . . . .this is time to watch your own backyard with a tight guard and prevent more innocent public from dying. There is no excuse for this carnage and there is no excuse to live off by blaming previous administrations for so long. This is absolutely present government's responsiblity and all excuses are unacceptable!! Too many people dying and law and order has gone to dogs. . . . . horror stories of blasts, torture and kidnappings are unforgettable, disgraceful and needs accountablity in the court of law as crimes against humanity towards its people!

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