A bomb explosion near railway tracks in the southwestern Pakistani city of Quetta killed at least 24 people and wounded more than 70 others on Sunday, according to officials and medical personnel.

The blast occurred as a passenger train was passing through the area, with the force of the explosion causing two train cars to overturn and catch fire. Thick black smoke billowed from the scene as emergency responders worked to extract victims from the wreckage.

The outlawed Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement to reporters, saying it had targeted a train carrying security personnel. Multiple sources indicated the train was transporting military personnel, with some reports suggesting they were traveling home for Eid celebrations.

Doctors at local hospitals reported receiving more than 30 wounded people, several in critical condition. The explosion also damaged nearby buildings and destroyed more than a dozen vehicles parked along the road, according to witnesses.

Quetta is the capital of Balochistan province, an oil and mineral-rich region that has experienced a long-running insurgency. The BLA and other militant groups have frequently targeted security forces, government installations, and civilians as part of their campaign for independence from Pakistan's central government.

Shahid Rind, a spokesman for the Balochistan provincial government, condemned the attack and announced that a medical emergency had been declared at Quetta hospitals. An investigation into the incident has been launched. The attack follows a pattern of violence in the region, including a 2024 suicide bombing at a train station in Balochistan that killed at least 26 people.