Terrorist Attack on Balochistan Coal Mine in Pakistan Leaves 20 Dead, Several Injured
"Assailants Use Modern Weapons in Duki Area Attack; Protests Erupt as Security Forces Launch Search Operations"
In Pakistan’s Balochistan province, a terrorist attack on a private coal mine on Friday left 20 people dead and 7 others injured. According to Pakistani media outlet Dawn, the assailants attacked a coal mine owned by Junaid Coal Company in the Duki area.
The attackers used modern weapons, including rockets and hand grenades, during the assault. Khairullah Nasir, Chairman of Duki District Council, reported that the assailants also set fire to 10 coal engines and machinery. The victims hailed from various regions of Pakistan, and some were Afghan nationals.
Security forces and police quickly launched a search operation, cordoning off the area to apprehend the attackers. So far, no militant group has claimed responsibility for the attack. In the aftermath, protests have erupted in several parts of Duki.
As reported by Al Jazeera, citing local police sources, the attackers gathered all the workers in the mine and opened fire on them. This marks the second terrorist attack in Pakistan in just four days. On October 6, an explosion near Karachi airport left 3 dead and 11 injured. Following that attack, China’s embassy called for an investigation, to which Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif promised to personally oversee the inquiry.
Balochistan has been a hotspot for militant attacks in recent months. In August, at least 73 people were killed in various terrorist incidents across the province, with the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) claiming responsibility. The Pakistani army responded, stating they had killed 21 militants in retaliation.
Earlier this year, in March, terrorists attacked the Gwadar Port Authority (GPA) in Balochistan, which was being developed with China’s assistance. Multiple explosions and gunfire were reported within the Gwadar complex, with one blast destroying a nearby passport office. Eight attackers, all members of the banned Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), were killed in the ensuing operation.
In February, a day before Pakistan’s elections, Balochistan saw two bombings. The first occurred in the city of Pishin, killing 12 people and injuring 30. The blast targeted the office of an independent candidate, Asfandyar Khan Kakar, who was not present at the time. Shortly afterward, another explosion took place in the town of Killa Saifullah, outside the office of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) candidate Maulana Abdul Wase. This attack claimed 12 lives and injured 25 others, bringing the total death toll from both blasts to 24.
In August, the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed to have killed 130 Pakistani soldiers during their “Operation Heroaf.” However, the Pakistani military confirmed the deaths of 14 soldiers. According to the Balochistan Post, the BLA carried out coordinated attacks at 12 different locations in Balochistan.
