Latest news with #schoolbusbombing
Washington Post
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Death toll from Pakistan school bus bombing rises to 8 as Islamabad blames India
ISLAMABAD — The death toll from a school bus bombing in southwestern Pakistan rose to eight on Friday after three more critically wounded children died, according to the country's military, which blamed rival India for allegedly supporting rebels behind the attack. The victims included two soldiers who were aboard the bus when it was attacked Wednesday in Khuzdar, a city in Balochistan province, where a separatist insurgency has raged for decades. A total of 53 people, including 39 children, were wounded in the attack.
Associated Press
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Death toll from Pakistan school bus bombing rises to 8 as Islamabad blames India
ISLAMABAD (AP) — The death toll from a school bus bombing in southwestern Pakistan rose to eight on Friday after three more critically wounded children died, according to the country's military, which blamed rival India for allegedly supporting rebels behind the attack. The victims included two soldiers who were aboard the bus when it was attacked Wednesday in Khuzdar, a city in Balochistan province, where a separatist insurgency has raged for decades. A total of 53 people, including 39 children, were wounded in the attack. The children were going to their Army Public School when the bombing happened. Military spokesperson Lt. Gen. Ahmad Sharif said that several of the wounded children remain critical. He said an initial investigation suggested the bombing was carried out by insurgents from the outlawed Baloch Liberation Army, which was designated a terrorist organization by the United States in 2019, on India's instructions. Sharif said Pakistan had evidence that India is orchestrating 'terrorists attacks inside Pakistan' and the international community should take its notice. India has not responded to the allegation and Pakistan has presented no proof to back up its claim. No group has claimed responsibility for the bombing. Tensions between India and Pakistan remain high after the two sides earlier this month engaged in a four-day border conflict before agreeing to a cease-fire.
The National
21-05-2025
- Politics
- The National
Three children killed in school bus bombing in south-west Pakistan
Three children were among five people killed in a school bus bombing on Wednesday in Pakistan's Balochistan province that Islamabad quickly blamed on Indian proxy militants. The south-western province has been plagued by a decades-long separatist insurgency orchestrated by armed groups which Pakistan says are backed by New Delhi. A suicide bomber is believed to have targeted the bus, which was carrying students to a military-run school, Pakistan's army said. More than 30 people were also wounded. Officials said the death toll could rise because several children were in critical condition. "The initial probe suggests it was a suicide bombing," Yasir Iqbal Dashti, a senior official in Balochistan's Khuzdar district, told news agency AFP. Around 40 students were on the bus when it was bombed, he said. Images shared on social media showed the shattered remains of the bus, its windows broken and school bags piled up near the scene. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif accused arch-rival India of involvement and offered his sympathy to the families of the children. Mr Sharif said New Delhi has been backing Baloch separatists who Islamabad routinely accuses of stirring up militancy in Pakistan. "Terrorists operating under Indian patronage attacking innocent children on a school bus is clear evidence of their hostility," a statement by Mr Sharif said. The Pakistani military also said the attack was "planned and orchestrated" by India. There was no immediate comment from New Delhi but it has previously denied claims it supports militancy. Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi condemned the attack and called the perpetrators 'beasts' who deserve no leniency, saying it was an act of 'sheer barbarism'. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the bombing, which comes weeks after nuclear-armed Pakistan and India reached a ceasefire to end their most serious conflict in decades. Cross-border fighting broke out earlier this month over the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir, which is divided between the two nations but sought in its entirety by both. A ceasefire was reached on May 10 but the exchange of fire raised fears of a broader war. The Baloch Liberation Army is the most active militant group in Balochistan and often carries out deadly attacks against Pakistani security forces. The local chapter of ISIS as well as the Pakistani Taliban have also claimed attacks. During the recent Kashmir hostilities, the Baloch Liberation Army appealed to India for support. New Delhi has not commented on the appeal. In March, the Baloch Liberation Army took control of a train with hundreds of passengers on board in a hijacking that killed dozens of militants and off-duty security force personnel. In 2014, another military-run school, in Peshawar in the north-western province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, was attacked by gunmen who killed more than 150 people - mostly students. The assault was claimed by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, an ultra-radical Islamist group. The incident sparked a major crackdown on militancy in border regions. Though it is Pakistan's largest province, Balochistan is its least populated. It is a hub for the country's ethnic Baloch minority, who say they face discrimination. The region of about 15 million people is home to key mining projects, but many locals say they are not reaping the economic benefits. Earlier this week, the Baloch Liberation Army vowed more attacks on the 'Pakistani army and its collaborators' and said its goal is to "lay the foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and independent Balochistan'.
Jordan Times
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Jordan Times
Four children killed in school bus bombing in SW Pakistan
A security personnel stands guard along a street near the site of a school bus bombing in the Khuzdar district of Balochistan province on May 21, 2025 (AFP photo) QUETTA, Pakistan — An attack by a suspected suicide bomber on a schoolbus in southwestern Pakistan carrying students from a military-run school killed at least four children and wounded more than 30 on Wednesday, officials said. "A bus carrying children of the APS (Army Public School) was targeted with a bomb, the nature of which is still being determined," Yasir Iqbal Dashti, a senior local government official in Khuzdar district of Balochistan province, told AFP. "The initial probe suggests it was a suicide bombing," he added. A senior police official confirmed the death toll to AFP on condition of anonymity, as he was not authorised to speak to the media, adding that the toll could rise. The military meanwhile put the death toll at five, including three children, in a statement to media. The school caters to the children of army personnel and civilians living in the area. Images shared on social media showed the shattered remains of a school bus, its windows broken, and a pile of school bags placed near the scene. In a statement Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif offered his "sympathies" to families of the children who fell victim to "brutality". Sharif also accused arch-rival India of backing militants which Islamabad routinely accuses of fomenting militancy in Pakistan by supporting proxies, including Baloch separatists, who have intensified attacks in recent years. "Terrorists operating under Indian patronage attacking innocent children on a school bus is clear evidence of their hostility," the statement added. The military also in a statement said Wednesday's attack was "planned and orchestrated" by India. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the bombing which comes weeks after nuclear-armed neighbours reached a ceasefire to end their most serious conflict in decades. The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) is the most active group in the region and often carries out deadly attacks against security forces, but the local chapter of the Islamic State group as well as the Pakistani Taliban has also claimed recent attacks. In March, dozens of militants and off-duty security force members died when the BLA took control of a train with hundreds of passengers on board. In 2014, the Army Public School in Peshawar in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province was attacked by gunmen who killed more than 150 people -- mostly students. The horrific attack sparked a massive crackdown against militancy that had thrived for years in the border regions.
