Gunmen have attacked a coal mine in Balochistan province, Pakistan, killing at least 20 people, according to local police reports.
The assault occurred early Friday morning at the Junaid Coal Company mines in Duki district, where attackers stormed the workers’ living quarters, rounded them up, and opened fire.
A hospital in Duki received 20 bodies and is treating six injured individuals. The attackers used heavy weaponry, including rockets and grenades, and also set fire to machinery at the site.
Authorities confirmed that among the victims, four were Afghan nationals, while the others were from Pashto-speaking regions of Balochistan.
In response to the violence, businesses in Duki closed, anticipating a protest in the main square. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack, but the separatist Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) has previously carried out similar assaults in the region.
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Just a few days earlier, a BLA militant had killed two Chinese nationals and injured at least 10 in a suicide bombing near Karachi airport. The BLA seeks an independent Balochistan and has conducted numerous attacks, resulting in over 50 fatalities in August alone. Pakistani authorities have responded by killing 21 insurgents in the area.
Balochistan’s Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti condemned the latest attack, stating that the attackers aim to destabilize the country. “The terrorists have once again targeted poor laborers… the killing of these innocent laborers will be avenged,” he said.
The province is home to various separatist groups that accuse the central government of exploiting its abundant resources. Militants often target security forces and workers involved in mining and infrastructure projects.
This surge in violence comes just ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Islamabad next week, prompting authorities to enhance security measures and restrict the movements of Chinese citizens due to potential threats from militant groups.
