A devastating explosion struck a school bus in Pakistan's Balochistan province, resulting in the deaths of at least five people, including three children, and injuring dozens more. The attack occurred near Khuzdar, and graphic images of the aftermath, showing charred wreckage and scattered school items, have circulated on social media. While no group has claimed responsibility, the incident has heightened tensions in the region as authorities investigate.

The bombing took place at approximately 07:40 local time (02:40 GMT) near Khuzdar, targeting a bus carrying around 40 schoolchildren, according to BBC reports. The attack has sparked widespread outrage in Pakistan, with officials strongly condemning the perpetrators. Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi described the attack as sheer barbarism, referring to the attackers as beasts for targeting children.

Pakistan's military has accused neighboring India and its alleged proxies in Balochistan of orchestrating the explosion, although no concrete evidence has been presented to support this claim. This accusation comes amid already heightened tensions between Pakistan and India, following a recent conflict triggered by a militant strike on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir.

Balochistan has a history of repeated violence. A train siege in the Sibi district in March resulted in 25 deaths and was attributed to the Balochistan Liberation Army, a separatist group designated as a terrorist organization. Baloch activists have accused security forces of human rights abuses, including the abduction, detention, and killing of ethnic Baloch people during anti-insurgency operations over the past two decades.

In other news, a separate deadly explosion occurred at an Islamiyyah school in the Kuchibiyu Community of Bwari Area Council, Abuja, Nigeria, killing two students and injuring four others. The incident took place around noon on Monday, January 6, 2025, with a security source suspecting the explosion was caused by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) carried by a student.

As Pakistan grapples with the school bus attack, concerns are growing over the deteriorating security situation in Balochistan. Authorities have pledged to bring the perpetrators to justice, while calls for increased protection of civilians intensify.