Death toll in Duki coal mine attack rises to 21

QUETTA: At least 21 coal miners were martyred and six injured in a terrorists attack in Balochistan’s Duki district Thursday night.

According to security officials, at around 11:30pm on Thursday, 30 to 40 terrorists stormed the residential quarters of miners in the Junaid Coal Company area, located eight to 10 kilometres from the Duki city.

Duki SP Asif Shafiq reported that most miners were asleep in their makeshift rooms outside the mine when the attack had occurred. The assailants targeted several residential quarters, opening indiscriminate fire on the workers.

“The private guards stationed to protect the coal mines initially resisted, but the attackers, armed with modern weapons, rockets, and hand grenades, quickly gained the upper hand. Gunfire and explosions continued for an hour and a half, resulting in the death of 20 miners and one private security guard, while six others were injured,” SP Shafiq said.

Among the deceased were three Afghans—Abdul Wali, Ghulam Ali, and Hayatullah.

The other victims were; Abdul Malik, Mola Dad, Syed Allah, Jalal Khan, Fazal, and Rozi Khan from Zhob district; Nasibullah, Samiullah, Abdullah, and another Nasibullah from Qilla Saifullah district; Malang, Hamdullah, and Abdullah from Pishin; Bismillah from Kuchlak; Jalat Khan from Loralai; Samad Khan from Musa Khel; Muhammad from the Shahrag tehsil of Hernai; and security guard Ajmal from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Four critically injured individuals—Ataullah, Majid Gul, Hamdullah, and Jumma Gul—were transferred to the trauma centre at Quetta’s Civil Hospital.

According to hospital spokesperson Dr. Waseem Baig, the injured had suffered multiple gunshot wounds, and they were critical.

SHO Humayun Nasir said that the attackers also set fire to machinery used for coal extraction.

Haji Khairullah Nasir, the chairman of the Duki District Council and the owner of the coal mine, confirmed that the miners were attacked at around 11:30pm. He said the killing spree continued until approximately 2am. He said that the attackers were not only equipped with modern weapons and rocket launchers but also carried tools to locate workers hiding in bushes and trees.

Haji Khairullah claimed that despite contacting senior security officials and the IGP immediately after the attack, police and security forces did not arrive until morning, even though the site was only a kilometre and a half away. He said he transported the bodies and injured to the hospital.

Following the incident, traders and political parties observed a shutdown strike in Duki. placing the bodies at Bacha Khan Chowk in protest.

The Pakistan Workers Federation, National Labour Federation, and other labour organisations also announced protests.

Sher Muhammad Kakar, District President of the Pakistan Workers Federation, condemned the targeting of innocent, defenceless workers who had come to Duki to earn a living for their families.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Mir Sarfaraz Bugti has condemned the killing of mine workers in Duki, expressing strong outrage at the incident and ordering immediate action. He directed security agencies to cordon off the area and tighten the noose around the terrorists.

In a statement issued on Friday, Bugti said that the terrorists have once again targeted poor workers, displaying extreme oppression and brutality. He said that the terrorists’ agenda is to destabilise Pakistan by attacking vulnerable workers.

He emphasised that the terrorists would be held accountable for every innocent life lost, warning that the unjust killing of these individuals would ultimately lead to the downfall of the perpetrators.