At least 20 coal miners have been killed in a brutal attack by gunmen at a mining site in Balochistan province, southwestern Pakistan.
The attackers stormed the miners’ accommodation at the Junaid Coal Company in the Duki district early Friday morning, rounding up the workers and opening fire, according to local police.
Authorities report that heavy weapons, including rockets and grenades, were used in the attack, which also left six people injured.
Police confirmed that four of the victims were Afghan nationals, while the rest were from Pashto-speaking areas of Balochistan. The attackers also set fire to machinery at the site.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far, but Balochistan has been a hotbed for separatist violence, with the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) previously responsible for similar assaults.
Earlier in the week, the BLA conducted a suicide attack near Karachi airport, killing two Chinese nationals and injuring several others.
Balochistan’s chief minister, Sarfraz Bugti, condemned the latest attack, stating that the perpetrators aimed to destabilize Pakistan.
“The terrorists have once again targeted poor laborers… the killing of these innocent laborers will be avenged,” he said.
This incident adds to the rising violence in the province, which is home to several separatist groups that accuse the government of exploiting the region’s rich natural resources.
The attacks often target both security forces and laborers working on mining and infrastructure projects.
The killings come just ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit, set to take place next week in Islamabad.
In light of recent attacks, Pakistani authorities are stepping up security measures, particularly for Chinese citizens who have been frequently targeted by militant groups.