Twin IED explosions near Pakistan's Quetta airport

Karachi: Two IED explosions took place near the Quetta airport in Pakistan's restive Balochistan province on Saturday when explosives meant to cause casualties and damage at the aerodrome went off in a deserted area.

Improvised explosive devices (IEDs) planted by unidentified miscreants went off at an empty plot close to the railway track. Security officials rushed to the site and cordoned off the area after the first explosion.

The explosives were meant to cause casualties and damage at the airport but exploded away from the target area, Senior Superintendent Police (SSP) Operations Waheed Khattak said.

The IEDs exploded before they could be brought close to the airport as such there have been no casualties or injuries, Khattak said. He said the IEDs weighed over one kilogramme each.

The bomb disposal squad carried out a thorough search around the airport area but no more explosives were found.

The troubled Balochistan province has been a hotbed of attacks carried out by sectarian militants and insurgents.

Last month, a suicide bomber targeted a mosque in Quetta, killing 10 people, including six children.