20 Miners Killed in Attack on Coal Mine in Pakistan’s Balochistan
Quetta, Pakistan: At least 20 miners were killed and seven others injured in a brutal attack by armed men on a coal mine in the southwestern province of Balochistan, Pakistan, on Friday, according to local authorities.
The incident took place at a small private coal mine operated by Junaid Coal Company in the Duki area, which lies east of Quetta, the provincial capital.
The attackers targeted the mine in the early hours of the morning using heavy weaponry, including rockets and grenades, police sources confirmed. The armed group gathered the miners at one location before opening fire, killing many on the spot. The assailants also set the mining machinery ablaze before fleeing the scene.
Ongoing Conflict in Balochistan
The resource-rich Balochistan province, which borders Afghanistan and Iran, has long been troubled by violence. Baloch insurgent groups have been fighting against the state, claiming that the federal government is exploiting the region’s natural resources while denying its people an equitable share. No group has yet claimed responsibility for this attack.
Local media reports indicate that the attack was highly coordinated. The gunmen used heavy weaponry, causing extensive damage to both the infrastructure and workers at the site. “We have received 20 bodies and six injured miners at the district hospital,” said Dr. Johar Khan Shadizai, a senior medical officer in Duki.
Recent Surge in Violence
The attack comes amidst a resurgence of militancy and insurgency in Pakistan. Just earlier this week, two Chinese nationals working for a power plant in Karachi were killed in a separate incident involving an explosion near the city’s international airport. The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), a separatist militant group, claimed responsibility for that attack.
The BLA has been involved in a series of violent incidents this year, including a wave of widespread attacks in August that targeted police stations, railway lines, and highways across Balochistan, resulting in over 70 deaths.
The latest assault on the coal miners marks one of the deadliest incidents in recent months, raising concerns over the security of mining operations in the troubled region and highlighting the ongoing struggle between separatist groups and the state.
