An armed attack on a coal mine in Balochistan’s Duki district killed at least 20 miners and injured seven others on Friday.
Duki Station House Officer (SHO) Humayun Khan reported that the attack took place at a Junaid Coal Company’s private coal mine in the early hours of the morning.
The assailants used heavy weapons, including rockets and grenades,
Dr. Johar Khan Shadizai, a doctor in Duki, confirmed that 20 bodies and six injured individuals were brought to the district hospital.
The victims include workers from various parts of Pakistan as well as Afghanistan. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Duki District Council Chairman Khairullah Nasir stated that the attackers used hand grenades, rocket launchers, and other advanced weapons during the assault.
They also set fire to coal mining equipment, including ten coal engines and other machinery.
Local police, Frontier Corps (FC), and district administration quickly responded to the scene and launched a joint operation to recover the remaining bodies and secure the area.
Duki Deputy Commissioner Kaleemullah Kakar and the Assistant Commissioner visited the site to oversee the rescue efforts.
Medical teams transferred seven injured miners to Loralai Tehsil Headquarters for treatment, while officials arranged to send the deceased’s bodies to their hometowns after completing the necessary formalities.
Deputy Commissioner Kakar said the district administration was coordinating with the police and FC to manage the situation.
Authorities will file a first information report (FIR), and the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) will lead the investigation into the incident.
