Gunmen attacked a coal mine in Balochistan’s volatile Loralai district, southwest Pakistan, killing at least 20 miners and wounding several others in an overnight raid, police confirmed on Friday.
The attackers, armed with rocket launchers and hand grenades, stormed the mine and killed the labourers while they slept, leaving some bodies charred beyond recognition, according to local police officer Murad Khan. Among the victims were Afghan nationals and workers from various regions of the province.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but authorities suspect the involvement of the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), a militant group seeking independence for the ethnic Baloch people. The BLA has been known to target security forces and civilians in the region.
Balochistan, rich in natural resources, has seen increasing violence, much of it linked to opposition against Chinese infrastructure projects designed to connect China’s Xinjiang region with the Arabian Sea. Local militant groups accuse China of exploiting their land and resources, including the province’s coastline.
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