The number of injured also soared to 90, several of them critically.

According to the sources, the suicide bomber, believed to have acted alone, rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into the train also carrying military personnel in Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province.

The blast occurred along the railway track as the train headed toward the city’s cantonment area, according to Anadolu Agency (AA).

Officials said the explosion was powerful enough to be heard several miles away.

The victims included civilians, with multiple houses near the railway line and several vehicles sustaining extensive damage.

The banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility in a statement to local media, saying a suicide bomber targeted military personnel.

Heavy gunfire was also reported following the explosion, while authorities declared emergency at several hospitals in Quetta.

Earlier, Babar Yousafzai, special assistant for the provincial home department, said security forces and rescue teams had reached the scene as police worked to determine the nature of the explosion.

MNA