A bomb planted on a parked motorcycle yesterday targeted a passing bus carrying 40 policemen in Mastung city of impoverished Balochistan province, where security forces have been battling sectarian, ethnic and separatist violence for decades.

In a statement late yesterday, the extremist group’s regional branch, Islamic State Khorasan (IS-K), which often carries out attacks on security forces in Pakistan and Afghanistan, claimed its “soldiers” targeted the “apostate” police.

Pakistan has witnessed a sharp rise in violence in its regions bordering Afghanistan since the Taliban returned to power in Kabul in 2021, with Islamabad accusing its western neighbour of allowing its soil to be used for attacks against Pakistan – a claim the Taliban denies.

In Balochistan, separatist violence has intensified including an attack last month by ethnic Baloch rebels on a train carrying 450 passengers, which sparked a two-day siege and left dozens dead.

IS-K is also active.

The group has claimed responsibility for attacks on religious minorities, targeted killings of religious scholars, and assaults on security officials.

In July 2023, the group claimed a suicide bombing at a political party gathering that killed more than 54 people, including 23 children.

More than 200 people, mostly security officials, have been killed in attacks since the start of the year by armed groups fighting the government in both Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, according to an AFP tally.