Protests erupted in Duki, Balochistan, following a rocket attack on local coal mines that left at least 20 miners dead and seven injured. The assault occurred early Friday morning when armed militants targeted the mines with heavy weapons, including rockets and grenades, according to Humayun Khan, the local police station house officer.
The mineral-rich region, which borders Afghanistan and Iran, has a long history of violence. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack. In response to the tragedy, local residents held a demonstration at Bacha Khan Chowk, displaying the bodies of the slain miners. Traders throughout the district participated in a shutter-down strike, closing all markets and trade centers in protest.
Police and Frontier Corps personnel cordoned off the area around the coal mines and launched a search operation immediately after the attack. Initially, police reported two fatalities, but the death toll quickly rose to 20, as confirmed by Medical Officer Dr. Johar Sadozai. All 19 deceased and 7 injured workers are Pashtuns, hailing from Kuchlak, Qila Saifullah, Zhob, and Loralai.
Haji Khairullah Nasir, the owner of the coal mines, reported that the attackers not only assaulted the site but also set mining machinery on fire. Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti condemned the incident, vowing to take action against the "terrorists" responsible. He described laborers as "soft targets" in such cowardly attacks, emphasizing the need to punish those behind the violence.