Gunmen kill 20 coal miners in Pakistan

Gunmen have killed 20 coal miners in the volatile south-western Pakistani province of Balochistan.

The assailants who stormed the coal mine with rocket launchers and hand grenades also wounded several others in the attack.

A local police officer, Murad Khan, said on Friday the incident occurred in the district of Loralai near the provincial capital of Quetta overnight.

“The victims, which included Afghan nationals alongside people from different parts of the province, were killed in their sleep and some of the bodies were charred beyond recognition,” the officer added.

READ AlSO: Gunmen attack school bus in Pakistan, kill 2 girls, wound 5

No group has yet claimed the responsibility for the latest attack but sub-nationalist militants in Balochistan often target security forces and civilians.

Another police officer said the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), a militant group of ethnic Baloch guerillas that is fighting for independence from Pakistan, was a prime suspect.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now