Three brothers killed in Dukki IED blast

Three brothers were killed and another man was injured after an improvised explosive device (IED) struck their vehicle in Dukki district of

QUETTA: Three brothers were killed and another man was injured after an improvised explosive device (IED) struck their vehicle in Dukki district of Balochistan on Sunday.

Dukki Superintendent of Police Mansoor Ahmed Buzdar confirmed the incident. He said the explosion occurred in the Killi Bakhtiar Khan area of Luni tehsil.

According to the police, four people were travelling in the vehicle for agricultural work. The blast occurred as they were crossing a stream near Killi Bakhtiar Khan.

The three brothers died at the scene. They were identified as Rehmatullah, Daurani and Naimatullah, sons of Sultan.

The fourth passenger, Atiqullah, son of Maulvi Naik Muhammad, sustained injuries in the explosion.

Rescue teams shifted the bodies and the injured man to the District Headquarters Hospital in Dukki. The injured passenger was provided medical treatment.

Following the blast, security forces and law-enforcement agencies reached the area. They sealed the site and launched a search operation.

Police said preliminary findings indicated that an IED had been planted at the location. Investigators are examining the circumstances surrounding the attack and trying to determine who planted the explosive.

The latest incident adds to concerns over the use of IEDs in Balochistan.

In a separate incident on June 25, a man was killed in Ormara, Gwadar district, when an explosive device attached to a motorcycle detonated as he attempted to start it. Police identified the victim as Raja, a resident of Makola in Pasni tehsil.

Earlier, on May 29, security forces prevented a major attack by defusing eight IEDs planted beneath a bridge on the Quetta-Karachi national highway in Surab district.

Officials said the explosives had been concealed inside drums and weighed more than 300 kilogrammes in total. The devices were equipped with remote-control and other detonation mechanisms.

The explosives were detected during an intelligence-based operation and were safely neutralised by bomb disposal teams. No casualties were reported.

Following the discovery, authorities increased security along the highway and launched an investigation to trace those responsible.