Several individuals sustained injuries in an explosion that caused five train carriages to derail on a railway track in the southwestern Sindh province of Pakistan. The incident took place near Somarwah, close to Sultan Kot in Shikarpur district. The affected passengers of the Jaffar Express heading towards Peshawar, a train that has faced multiple attacks this year, were promptly taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
A rescue operation is currently in progress at the site, as confirmed by the authorities. The area has been sealed off by heavy police and paramilitary presence, who are gathering evidence to ascertain the cause of the blast. Initial reports indicate significant damage to the railway track.
The Jafar Express, operating between Quetta and Peshawar, has been a repeated target in recent months, with a severe attack occurring in March. In a similar incident in September, an explosion near Dasht in Mastung, Balochistan, resulted in the destruction of one train coach and the derailment of six others, causing injuries to 12 passengers. Previous incidents in August involved derailments caused by improvised explosive devices, with the Baloch Liberation Army claiming responsibility for one attack.
In a separate event in June, an explosion targeted the train in Jacobabad district, leading to the derailment of four coaches without any reported casualties. The Jaffar Express had previously been hijacked on March 11, resulting in the loss of 26 lives, including security personnel. Subsequent security operations led to the elimination of 33 terrorists involved in the attack and the rescue of 354 hostages.
These incidents are believed to be orchestrated by ethnic Baloch terrorist groups, aiming to disrupt the railway services and cause harm.