A powerful car bomb exploded late Sunday in Qillah Abdullah, a city in Pakistan’s Balochistan province near the Afghan border. The blast killed four people and injured at least 20 others, according to Deputy Commissioner Abdullah Riaz. The explosion damaged several market stalls and shattered the outer walls of a nearby paramilitary building. Security forces quickly sealed off the area and began collecting evidence from the blast site. No group has claimed responsibility yet, but authorities suspect ethnic Baloch separatists are behind the attack.

The Balochistan Liberation Army, a banned militant group, is often blamed for such violence. The Pakistani government banned the BLA, and the United States listed it as a terrorist organization in 2019. The group seeks full independence or greater autonomy for Balochistan, a resource-rich region in southwestern Pakistan. In March, BLA fighters killed 33 people, mostly soldiers, in a deadly train ambush. Provincial officials condemned the bombing and said an investigation is ongoing. Pakistan accuses India of supporting the BLA and the Pakistani Taliban, but India denies these claims.

On May 11, the BLA publicly urged India to provide political, military, and diplomatic support. The group denied already working for Indian interests but promised new attacks if India helps them. BLA leaders said they plan to open a front near Taliban-controlled areas along the Afghan border. India has not officially responded to these demands. Tensions between Pakistan and India remain high. Pakistani officials see the BLA’s appeal as proof of foreign interference in their internal conflict. Security experts warn that outside support could further destabilize the already volatile region.

This bombing adds to ongoing violence in Balochistan, where ethnic and political conflicts have caused instability for years. Authorities are on alert to prevent further attacks as the situation remains tense.