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By Amir Daftari
News Reporter
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Gunmen killed 20 miners and wounded seven others in southwestern Pakistan, officials said Friday, in an attack that comes just days before a major security summit in the capital.
The violence occurred in Balochistan province, late Thursday night at a coal mine in Duki district. According to police official Hamayun Khan Nasir, the gunmen rounded up the workers and opened fire.
The attackers also used rockets and grenades, damaging equipment before fleeing the scene. Most victims were from Pashtun-speaking areas, while among the dead and wounded were three Afghans.
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The killings come as Islamabad is preparing for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, founded by China and Russia, which aims to counter Western alliances. Security has been increased across the capital in anticipation of possible attacks by separatists or the Pakistani Taliban.
Although no group claimed responsibility immediately, authorities suspect the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), an outlawed group that targets civilians and security forces.
In August, the BLA carried out attacks that left over 50 people dead, including 23 who were taken from buses and trucks in Musakhail district. The government responded by killing 21 insurgents in the province.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep sorrow over the killings and vowed to fight terrorism.
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Balochistan's chief minister, Sarfraz Bugti, condemned the attack, stating, "Terrorists have once again targeted poor laborers." He called the attackers cruel and promised they would be held accountable. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi similarly pledged that those responsible would face justice.
Balochistan has long been a center of separatist activity, with insurgents accusing the government of exploiting the province's natural resources without benefiting locals. The BLA has particularly opposed foreign investments in the region, including Chinese-backed projects tied to Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative.
Earlier this week, the BLA claimed responsibility for an attack on Chinese nationals outside Pakistan's largest airport. The bodies of two Chinese engineers killed in that attack were sent back to Beijing on Thursday. Thousands of Chinese nationals are in Pakistan, mostly working on Belt and Road projects.
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On Friday, counterterrorism police announced that two suspects linked to a 2021 bombing that killed nine Chinese nationals and four Pakistanis were killed in a shootout. Armed men ambushed a van transporting the suspects to a prison in Punjab province, but no officers were harmed.
The latest attack in Balochistan came just hours after Saudi and Pakistani businessmen signed investment deals worth $2 billion, including agreements related to mining projects in the province. Saudi Arabia has also expressed interest in Reko Diq, a Balochistan district known for its mineral wealth.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press
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