China condemns Balochistan train bombing in Pakistan

China on Monday condemned the bomb attack on a passenger train in Pakistan's restive Balochistan province that killed at least 24 people.

Commenting on the attack, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning expressed condolences to the victims and conveyed sympathies to the injured and the bereaved families.

At least 24 people were killed and 50 others injured when a powerful explosion ripped through the shuttle train in Quetta, the capital city of Balochistan, on Sunday.

The banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), which has been fighting for the independence of the mineral-rich province, claimed responsibility for the blast.

Mao said China stands resolutely against terrorism in all its forms and will continue firmly supporting Pakistan in combating terrorism, maintaining solidarity and stability, and protecting public safety.

''We stand ready to further strengthen counter-terrorism cooperation with Pakistan to jointly safeguard regional peace, security and stability,'' she said.

The train was heading from Quetta Cantonment to the city railway station when it was targeted near Chaman Phatak.

A BLA spokesperson on Sunday said the attack was carried out as the train was transporting military personnel from the cantonment area.

Balochistan has witnessed a series of such incidents in the past several years. The Jafar Express, which runs between Quetta and Peshawar, has been repeatedly targeted in recent years, with the attack in March being the worst.

In September 2025, a blast on the railway track in the Dasht area of Mastung, Balochistan, destroyed one coach of Jaffar Express and derailed six others, leaving 12 passengers injured.

On August 10, four people were injured when an improvised explosive device derailed six coaches of the train in the Mastung district.

Three days before that, the train narrowly escaped a disaster near Balochistan's Sibi railway station, where a bomb planted near the track exploded just after the passenger train had passed.

In another incident, on August 4, gunmen fired five bullets at its pilot engine near Kolpur. The BLA claimed responsibility for the attack.

In June 2025, an explosion in the Jacobabad district of Sindh targeted the train, derailing four coaches. No casualties were reported in that attack.

On March 11, 2025, the Jaffar Express was hijacked while travelling from Quetta to Peshawar in the Bolan area, resulting in the deaths of over 30 passengers and security personnel and holding over 350 passengers hostage. The security forces in a targeted operation killed 33 terrorists involved in attacking the train.

In November 2024, at least 32 people were killed, and scores were injured when a suicide bomber hit the Quetta Cantt Railway Station.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)