Roadside bomb kills 4, wounds 15 in southwestern Pakistan

Pakistani authorities say a roadside bomb exploded outside a college in the southwestern city of Quetta, killing four people and wounding 15, mostly passers-by

Pakistan (Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

A roadside bomb exploded outside a college in southwestern Pakistan on Thursday, killing four people and wounding at least 15, mostly passers-by, police and a rescue official said.

The attack happened outside the Science College in Quetta the capital of Baluchistan province, according to Fida Hussain, a senior police officer. Baqi Hussain, a rescuer, said that they transported three bodies and about a dozen wounded to a hospital, where one of the seriously wounded died. Hussain also confirmed four people died in the bombing.

The college was closed at the time of the attack due to the winter break and none of the teachers or students were among the victims.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the bombing but previous such attacks have been blamed on militants and separatists. Baluchistan is the scene of a long-running insurgency by Baluch secessionist groups that for decades have staged bombings and shooting attacks on civilians and security forces to press their demands for independence.

The Pakistani Taliban and the Islamic State group also have a presence in Baluchistan. Islamabad insists that Pakistani forces have quelled the insurgency in Baluchistan but violence has continued there.