QUETTA, Pakistan – At least 20 miners were killed, and seven others injured in a brutal attack at a private coal mine in the southwestern province of Balochistan, Pakistan, on Friday. Unidentified gunmen stormed the Junaid Coal Company’s site in the Duki area, using heavy weaponry, according to local police and media reports.
The early morning attack, the deadliest in recent weeks, comes amid rising violence in Balochistan, a region known for its rich mineral resources. Balochistan borders both Afghanistan and Iran and has been the center of insurgent violence for decades. This incident occurs just days before Pakistan is set to host a Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit and as Islamabad holds talks with a Saudi Arabian delegation seeking mining opportunities in the country.
Local authorities confirmed that the assailants not only targeted the miners but also launched rocket and grenade attacks, destroying vital mining equipment and setting machinery on fire.
The attackers gathered the miners in one place and opened fire,” said Humayun Khan, the Station House Officer (SHO) of Duki. Among the dead were four Afghan nationals, while four others from Afghanistan were reported injured. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack thus far.
According to reports, the district hospital in Duki had received 20 bodies and six injured victims, according to Dr. Johar Khan Shadizai.
The provincial government has launched an investigation, and a case has been registered under terrorism laws against the unknown attackers. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has condemned the attack and called for a thorough investigation, reiterating the government’s determination to eliminate terrorism in all its forms.
