At least 14 people died on Sunday when a bomb exploded near a passenger train in southwestern Pakistan. This incident is part of ongoing violence in a region plagued by a long-running separatist insurgency.

The explosion occurred around 8 a.m. local time at a railway crossing in Balochistan Province, near the border with Afghanistan. This area has many militant groups that have become increasingly violent over time.

According to officials, the bomb detonated as a shuttle train, carrying dozens of passengers including some from a nearby military base, was heading to Quetta’s main railway station. The blast had enough force to derail the locomotive and three coaches, overturning two carriages, as reported by Pakistan’s railway minister, Muhammad Hanif Abbasi.

Most passengers were likely traveling to visit family before Eid al-Adha, celebrated on Wednesday in Pakistan. The train was set to connect with the Jaffer Express, a crucial 1,000-mile rail link between Quetta and Pakistan’s major cities.

Shahid Rind, an official with the Balochistan provincial government, confirmed at least 14 fatalities. A police officer and a health department official in Quetta, who requested anonymity, noted that more than 20 bodies, including women and children, had been taken to a hospital and over three dozen others injured.

Preliminary investigations suggest a suicide attacker might have executed the bombing. However, a final assessment from the bomb disposal squad is still pending.