Geo News: Blast in Balochistan Kills 11, Injures 7 in Coal Mine
The attack highlights the ongoing security challenges in the region, with separatist groups continuing to carry out deadly attacks against security forces and energy projects, and the need for authorities to take effective measures to protect the lives of labourers and civilians in the area.
At least 11 labourers were killed and 7 injured in an explosion in Harnai, Balochistan, caused by a bomb planted on the road near a vehicle transporting coal miners, with the victims mostly from Swat and Shangla districts.
The blast is the latest in a series of violent incidents in the region, which has seen a surge in attacks since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in Kabul in 2021. Security forces have been battling a decades-long rebellion by separatist groups in the region, with violence surging over the past three years. The Balochistan government has condemned the attack and federal Minister for Interior Mohsin Naqvi has expressed deep sorrow over the deaths.
This is the second fatal accident in a coal mine in the area in a week, with 2 workers killed in a mine in Darra Adam Khel last week. The explosion occurred when an improvised explosive device (IED) struck a vehicle carrying coal miners in the Harnai area. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) has been accused of similar attacks in the past.
Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the Chief Minister of Punjab, expressed her deep grief and sorrow over the death of labourers in a coal mine explosion in Quetta, extending her heartfelt sympathies and condolences to the bereaved families and praying for the early recovery of the injured. Law enforcement agencies have cordoned off the site and launched an investigation into the incident.
