Gunmen stormed a coal mine in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province, killing at least 20 workers in a brutal attack, according to local police reports. The attack took place in the early hours of Friday morning at the Junaid Coal Company mines located in the Duki district, where the attackers targeted the workers’ accommodation.

The miners were rounded up by the assailants and shot dead. In addition to the fatalities, six others were injured and are receiving treatment at a local hospital in Duki, according to Reuters.

Attack Details

The attackers were heavily armed, using rocket launchers and grenades in the assault, local police confirmed. Survivors described the chilling ordeal, with one man, subcontractor Hafeezullah, telling the BBC he saw a drone overhead just before the attack. He explained that the drone’s red light was visible as he and others hid in a bathroom. The attackers, speaking in Pashto, reportedly shouted, “We told you to stop work here, why didn’t you?” before opening fire.

Hafeezullah estimates the assault began shortly after midnight and lasted for about an hour and a half, during which machinery at the mine was set ablaze. Loud explosions were heard, suspected to be grenades detonating.

The district’s police chief, Asim Shafi, told news agency AFP that a group of about 40 attackers used both grenades and rocket launchers during the assault. The perpetrators reportedly disappeared into the night following the attack.

Casualties and Victims

According to police, four of the victims were Afghan nationals, while the rest were from Pashto-speaking areas of Balochistan. Hafeezullah shared his grief, stating that several of his friends were among the dead. “When I left, people were lying on the ground,” he said, describing the aftermath of the attack.

So far, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack. However, the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), a separatist group that has carried out similar deadly assaults in the region, is a prime suspect. The BLA has been fighting for an independent Balochistan and has a history of targeting both security forces and workers involved in mining and infrastructure projects in the province.

Khairullah Nasar, the owner of the mine, told Reuters that militants had been issuing threats for some time, though there was no specific warning about the attack.

This deadly assault on the miners follows a series of violent incidents in the country. On Monday, a BLA militant carried out a suicide attack near Karachi airport, killing two Chinese nationals and injuring at least 10 people. The BLA has been particularly aggressive in its recent operations, committing multiple attacks in August that left more than 50 people dead. In retaliation, Pakistani authorities reported killing 21 insurgents in Balochistan.

Government Response

The attack has drawn strong condemnation from Balochistan’s chief minister, Sarfraz Bugti, who expressed outrage at the targeting of labourers. “The terrorists have once again targeted poor labourers… the killing of these innocent labourers will be avenged,” Bugti said in a statement, adding that the attackers have an agenda aimed at destabilizing Pakistan.

Balochistan, a resource-rich region, is home to several separatist groups who accuse the central government of exploiting its natural resources while neglecting the local population. These militants frequently target both security forces and workers associated with the province’s mining and infrastructure projects.

The attack comes just days before the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, a significant security summit is set to be hosted in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan. Due to the ongoing militant threat, especially from groups like the BLA, Pakistani authorities are ramping up security measures, particularly for Chinese nationals, who have been frequent targets of insurgent attacks.

As part of these measures, authorities are reportedly restricting the movement of Chinese citizens during the summit to minimize potential security risks posed by militant groups.

The latest violence in Balochistan underscores the enduring instability and the challenges the Pakistani government faces in controlling separatist movements and ensuring the safety of labourers and foreign workers across the region.