Pakistan’s southwestern Quetta city targeted by militants again

QUETTA: The provincial capital of Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province witnessed two militant attacks on law enforcement agencies on Wednesday in which six uniformed personnel were killed.
The first incident took place in the morning when an unidentified assailant tried to target Deputy Superintendent Police Hameedullah Dasti, killing two of his colleagues instead.
In the second incident, a suicide bomber hit a Frontier Corps camp in the city, killing four soldiers and injuring six others.
Security forces immediately cordoned off the area to evacuate the casualties and deal with the situation.
A proscribed militant faction, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), claimed the responsibility of the first attack in a statement sent to various media outlets in Pakistan. However, no group claimed the responsibility of the second incident by the time this report was filed.
Talking to Arab News, Deputy Inspector General Police Abdul Razzaq Cheema dismissed the TTP statement about the first attack, saying: “Nothing can be said until proper investigation of the incident is completed.”
He added that Dasti’s vehicle was ambushed while he was carrying out his official duties.
Quetta has witnessed an escalation in militant violence in recent weeks, and most of these attacks are directed against police and security officials.