The Islamic State extremist group has claimed responsibility for a weekend bombing that killed two police officials in restive southwestern Pakistan, officials said on September 16.
Analysts say that the latest violence is a sign of increasing coordination between Islamist militants and separatists who have for years attacked security forces and civilians in the oil and gas-rich Baluchistan province, which borders Iran and Afghanistan, Radio Free Europe (RSE) reports in English.
The extremist group said in a statement that it had detonated an explosive device a day earlier, the target of which was a Pakistani police vehicle in the town of Kuchlaq, near Quetta, the capital of Balochistan.
Pakistani officials say two policemen were killed in the attack and two others were wounded on the highway. The Balochistan Liberation Army has previously claimed responsibility for such attacks, but Islamic State has carried out similar attacks in recent months.
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