A devastating suicide bombing struck a school bus in Khuzdar, a city in Pakistan’s violence-stricken Balochistan province, early Wednesday, leaving three schoolchildren and two adults dead. The attack, which also injured 38 others, targeted a vehicle transporting students of the Army Public School—an institution meant for the children of military personnel.

Yasir Dashti, a senior government official in the province, confirmed the bus was carrying a significant number of children at the time of the explosion. Police officer Kaleem Ullah added that the students were part of the Army Public School network, which operates under the Pakistani military’s education system.

So far, no group has claimed responsibility for the blast.

The Pakistani military issued a statement condemning the attack and accused “Indian proxies” of orchestrating the bombing—allegations made without supporting evidence. Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, echoed the military’s stance, calling the attack “cowardly” and holding India accountable.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs and military have yet to respond to CNN’s requests for comment. Historically, Pakistan has often pointed fingers at India for acts of violence in Balochistan, while India has repeatedly denied such claims and accused Pakistan of harboring militant groups targeting Indian soil.

Balochistan, a region rich in minerals and strategically vital, has long been the center of a separatist rebellion seeking greater autonomy and control over local resources. Violence in the province is frequent, with insurgent groups targeting infrastructure and state symbols.

This tragic attack comes just months after the hijacking of a train by Baloch separatists, which ended with 27 hostages dead. It also recalls Pakistan's dark history of terror attacks against children, most notably the 2014 school massacre in Peshawar that killed over 140 students, and the 2012 shooting of teenage education activist Malala Yousafzai.

The recent surge in violence, coupled with escalating accusations between India and Pakistan, has heightened fears of renewed conflict in the region—despite a fragile ceasefire following a four-day military standoff earlier this month.