According to security sources, bombs stored in drums weighed over 300 kg capable of causing massive destruction
Security forces defuse eight explosive devices planted under a major bridge on the Quetta-Karachi National Highway in Surab district on Sunday. Photo: Express
QUETTA:
Security forces defused eight improvised explosive devices (IEDs) discovered under a bridge on the Quetta-Karachi highway in Balochistan’s Surab district on Sunday, officials said, averting a potential large-scale attack.
The explosives, hidden inside drums and weighing more than 300 kg in total, were found during an intelligence-based operation, according to security sources.
“The explosives were hidden under the bridge in a very covert manner, indicating a significant destructive capacity,” a senior security official said. Express Pakinomist on condition of anonymity.
The devices were reportedly rigged with remote control and other advanced detonation systems, posing a serious threat to passing traffic and civilians on the main road between Quetta and Karachi.
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Bomb disposal teams moved the explosives to a safe location and successfully neutralized them, officials said. No injuries or casualties were reported during the operation.
Authorities have increased security along the highway while investigations are underway to identify those responsible and dismantle the network behind the attempted attack.
The Quetta-Karachi highway is a vital transport route in Balochistan and has been targeted in security-related incidents in the past. Traffic on the highway has since resumed as normal, officials added.
Balochistan has been plagued by insurgency for years, with terrorists from the banned terror group Balochistan Liberation Army recently launching a terror attack in several locations, leaving scores of citizens dead. In a counter operation by security forces, 216 terrorists were killed while 22 security personnel embraced martyrdom.
