Explosion derails cargo train in southwest Pakistan, injures at least 27

At least 27 people were injured after a powerful explosion derailed a cargo train in southwest Pakistan on Sunday, officials and local media said.

The explosion occurred along a railway track in Quetta, the capital of southwestern Balochistan province, which targeted the train headed to the city's cantonment area, according to 24 News.

Heavy gunfire was also reported following the explosion, and authorities declared an emergency in several city hospitals.

Babar Yousafzai, a special assistant for the provincial home department, told reporters that security forces and rescue teams reached the site as police tried to ascertain the nature of the blast.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the incident.

Balochistan, a mineral-rich region and a key route for the multibillion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, has long been plagued by militancy from separatist groups.