At Least 20 Miners Killed in Armed Attack on Balochistan Coal Mine

At least 20 miners were killed and seven others injured in an armed assault on a small private coal mine in the southwestern province of Balochistan, Pakistan, on Friday. Local police confirmed that a group of armed men launched the attack in the early hours, using heavy weapons in the mineral-rich but conflict-torn region.

The attack occurred at the Junaid Coal Company’s mines in Duki, located east of the provincial capital, Quetta. Humayun Khan, the police station officer for Duki, reported that the assailants targeted the miners with rockets and grenades before opening fire on them. Local media added that the attackers also set mining equipment ablaze after gathering the miners in one area.

Dr. Johar Khan Shadizai, a medical officer at Duki’s district hospital, confirmed that 20 bodies and six injured individuals had been received so far. The area is home to ten coal mines, according to a company official, who described the attack as a brutal assault on the local workforce.

Balochistan, which borders Afghanistan and Iran, has been a hotspot of insurgent activity for decades. Various separatist groups, including the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), have been fighting against the Pakistani government, claiming that the region’s resources are being unfairly exploited without benefiting local communities. These groups often target state infrastructure, security personnel, and now, as seen in this latest attack, civilian operations like coal mining.

While no group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack, it follows a pattern of escalating violence in the region. In August, the BLA was responsible for one of Balochistan’s deadliest waves of violence in years, killing over 70 people in a series of coordinated attacks on police stations, railway lines, and highways.

The incident comes just days after two Chinese nationals working at a power plant were killed in an explosion in Karachi, highlighting the growing security concerns across Pakistan. The resurgence of militant violence, particularly since a ceasefire between the Pakistani Taliban and the government collapsed in 2022, has raised alarms about the country’s stability.

Authorities have launched an investigation into the Duki mine attack, and security has been increased across Balochistan to prevent further violence.