At least 20 miners were killed in a brutal attack by gunmen at the Junaid Coal Company in Balochistan’s Duki district, southwestern Pakistan, early Friday morning. The assailants stormed the workers’ quarters, rounded them up, and opened fire, using heavy weapons like rockets and grenades. Police confirmed that four of the victims were Afghans, while the rest were from Pashto-speaking areas of the province.
No group has yet claimed responsibility for the killings, but the separatist Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) has a history of deadly attacks in the region, including a suicide bombing earlier this week near Karachi airport. Authorities condemned the attack, vowing to avenge the deaths. Balochistan, rich in resources, remains a hotspot for militant violence, as separatist groups accuse the central government of exploiting the province’s wealth.
This recent violence unfolds as Pakistan prepares to host the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Islamabad next week. Security measures, particularly for Chinese nationals, are being heightened due to the ongoing militant threat.
