Protests in Duki after rocket attack on coal mines kills 20

Duki: Protests have erupted in District Duki following a tragic rocket attack that claimed the lives of at least 20 miners and left seven others injured. The incident, which occurred early Friday morning, involved a group of armed men who targeted coal mines in the area using heavy weaponry, including rockets and grenades, according to Humayun Khan, the police station house officer for Duki.

The mineral-rich region, located east of Quetta and bordering Afghanistan and Iran, has long been plagued by violence. No group has yet claimed responsibility for this latest attack, but it underscores ongoing security concerns in the area.

In the wake of the attack, local citizens gathered at Bacha Khan Chowk to stage a demonstration, mourning the loss of the slain miners. In solidarity, traders across the district declared a shutter-down strike, with all trade centers and markets closed on Friday in condemnation of the violence.

Authorities cordoned off the area surrounding the coal mines, initiating a search operation soon after the assault. The deceased miners and the injured were transported to Teaching Hospital Loralai for urgent medical care. Initial reports indicated the deaths of two miners; however, the toll quickly rose to 20, as confirmed by Medical Officer Dr. Johar Sadozai. Among the deceased were miners from Pishin, Qila Saifullah, Kuchlak, and three who had traveled from Afghanistan for work.

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Haji Khairullah Nasir, the owner of the coal mines, reported that the attackers not only assaulted the site but also set mining machinery ablaze.

Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti condemned the attack, labeling the perpetrators as “terrorists” working to destabilize Pakistan. He pledged to take action against those responsible, stating, “Labourers are soft targets in cowardly attacks by terrorists.”

The rise in militant attacks in Pakistan, particularly since the Taliban regained power in Afghanistan in 2021, has raised alarm, affecting both Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. In response to the escalating violence, the federal cabinet approved Operation Azm-e-Istehkam in June, a renewed national counter-terrorism campaign aimed at rooting out terrorism as recommended by the Central Apex Committee under the National Action Plan.