07 Oct 2024 | 01:35 AM UTC
Pakistan: Baloch Liberation Army claims Oct. 6 attack near Karachi's Jinnah International Airport that killed two Chinese nationals /update 1
Baloch Liberation Army claims bombing near Jinnah International Airport, Karachi, Pakistan, late Oct. 6. Terror threat remains high.
The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) has claimed responsibility for the explosion along Airport Road near Jinnah International Airport (KHI) in Karachi, Sindh Province, late Oct. 6. An oil tanker truck exploded at around 23:00, killing two Chinese nationals and injuring at least ten people, including one other Chinese citizen. The incident also resulted in a blaze that damaged multiple vehicles. The BLA stated that the attack targeted a convoy of Chinese workers of the Port Qasim Electric Power Company.
Lingering localized ground transport disruptions are likely in the affected area through Oct. 7 as investigations continue. Authorities will probably conduct intensified security screening along access roads to and at KHI. Counterterror vigilance, such as security patrols and hotel and vehicle checks, are likely across the city as a precaution.
Confirm travel arrangements if booked to fly via KHI through at least the Oct. 7. Do not check out of accommodation before confirming onward travel. Avoid potential militant target sites such as government, security, and diplomatic installations, as well as religious sites. Heed all official instructions and traffic advisories.
The terror threat remains high across Pakistan. Separatist groups, including the BLA, often carry out small-scale attacks on security forces, pro-government leaders, and workers from other parts of Pakistan, mainly in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province. While most attacks occur in rural areas, one of the BLA's high-profile attacks occurred at the Pakistan Stock Exchange Building in Karachi in 2020. The BLA also often targets development projects in Balochistan associated with the high-profile Chinese-funded China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), including the storming of the Gwadar Port Authority complex in March 2024. BLA operatives have previously targeted Chinese interests in areas outside Balochistan Province, most notably a December 2018 attack on the Chinese consulate in Karachi. A spike in violence is likely in the coming months due to the launch of a nationwide counterterror operation from late June.
