At least four children were killed and 38 others wounded on Wednesday when a suicide car bomber targeted a school bus in Pakistan’s volatile Balochistan province, in one of the deadliest attacks on students in recent years.

Balochistan has long been plagued by separatist violence, with groups like the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA)—designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. in 2019—frequently targeting civilians and security forces. Although no group has claimed responsibility, suspicion has fallen on ethnic Baloch insurgents.

Deputy Commissioner Yasir Iqbal confirmed the incident and Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi condemned the bombing, calling it an act of "sheer barbarism" and labeling the attackers "beasts." Officials fear the death toll may rise, as several children remain in critical condition.

The bombing follows another recent attack in the province, where a car blast near a market in Qillah Abdullah killed four people. In March, one of the deadliest assaults in the region saw BLA militants kill 33 people, mostly soldiers, during an attack on a passenger train.

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