A group of armed individuals launched attack on Junaid Coal Company mines, gathered miners at one location before opening fire
QUETTA: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-Oct 11th, 2024) At least 20 miners lost their lives and seven others were injured in rocket attack on coalmines in the Dukki area of Balochistan early Friday morning.
The local authorities said the attackers targeted the mines owned by local leader Haji Khair Ullah Nasir, using hand grenades and rocket launchers, followed by gunfire aimed at the miners.
The deceased miners hailed from various regions, including Pishin, Qila Saifullah, Zhob, Muslim Bagh, Musakhel, Kuchlak and Afghanistan.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti expressed their condolences, and offers the prayers for the injured. They pledging to ensure that those responsible face severe consequences.
Local police chief Humayun Khan said that a group of armed individuals launched the attack on the Junaid Coal Company mines, gathered the miners in one location before opening fire.
Dr. Johar Shadizai, a medical officer at Dukki Hospital, stated that the injured were stabilized and later transferred to the Teaching Hospital in Loralai. He confirmed the arrival of 20 bodies and six injured individuals at the district hospital.
Haji Khair Ullah criticized the delayed response from police and Frontier Corps personnel, saying that the local residents and mine officials assisted in transporting the victims to the hospital. He also reported that the attackers set fire to 10 engines and other mining equipment before fleeing the scene.
In response to the incident, police and Frontier Corps cordoned off the area and initiated a search operation to apprehend the perpetrators.
No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.
In recent years, Pakistan has witnessed a resurgence in militancy, particularly since the collapse of a ceasefire between the Pakistani Taliban and the government in 2022. This week, two Chinese nationals working at a power plant were killed in an explosion near Karachi's international airport, an incident linked to escalating violence in the region.
The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), a key insurgent group in the area, has been implicated in recent violent episodes, including attacks that resulted in significant casualties.
