Gunmen Kill 20 Miners And Wound Others In Attack In Southwest Pakistan

Gunmen Kill 20 Miners And Wound Others In Attack In Southwest Pakistan

Most of the men were from Pashtun-speaking areas of Balochistan. Three of the dead and four of the wounded were Afghan.

PTIUpdated: Friday, October 11, 2024, 09:46 AM IST
article-image
Representative Image | File

Quetta: Gunmen killed 20 miners and wounded another seven in Pakistan's southwest, a police official said Friday.

It's the latest attack in restive Balochistan province and comes days ahead of a major security summit being hosted in the capital.

Police official Hamayun Khan Nasir said the gunmen stormed the accommodations at the coal mine in Duki district late Thursday night, rounded up the men and opened fire.

Most of the men were from Pashtun-speaking areas of Balochistan. Three of the dead and four of the wounded were Afghan.

Nobody claimed immediate responsibility for the attack.

The province is home to separatist groups who want independence. They accuse the federal government in Islamabad of unfairly exploiting oil- and mineral-rich Balochistan at the expense of locals.

On Monday, a group called the Baloch Liberation Army said it carried out an attack on Chinese nationals outside Pakistan's biggest airport. There are thousands of Chinese working in the country, most of them involved in Beijing's multibillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative.

The explosion, which the BLA said was the work of a suicide bomber, also raised questions about the ability of Pakistani forces to protect high-profile events or foreigners in the country.

Islamabad is hosting a summit next week of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, a grouping founded by China and Russia to counter Western alliances.

RECENT STORIES

US President Joe Biden Assures Peaceful Transfer Of Power In January; Watch Video

US President Joe Biden Assures Peaceful Transfer Of Power In January; Watch Video

France: Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo Implements Limited Traffic Zone In City Centre To Combat Pollution

France: Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo Implements Limited Traffic Zone In City Centre To Combat Pollution

Canada Bans Australian Media Outlet After It Airs Jaishankar's Address

Canada Bans Australian Media Outlet After It Airs Jaishankar's Address

Basic Activities Come To A Standstill As Air Quality Continues To Worsen In Lahore

Basic Activities Come To A Standstill As Air Quality Continues To Worsen In Lahore

Indian Consulate Forced To Cancel Camps After Canada Says It Can't Provide Even Minimum Security

Indian Consulate Forced To Cancel Camps After Canada Says It Can't Provide Even Minimum Security