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Pakistan separatist militants BLA reject participation in attack on mines

The Baloch Freedom Army, a militant separatist group in Pakistan, rejected participation in an attack that eliminated at least 21 mine employees, condemning the violence.

Dozens of assaulters stormed a cluster of little private coal mines in Pakistan's restive southwest on Friday with weapons, rockets and hand grenades, eliminating some miners in their sleep and shooting others after lining them up.

Baloch Freedom Army condemns the massacre of 21 Pashtun workers in Dukki, making it clear that our company has no participation in this awful incident, the BLA stated in an e-mail late on Saturday.

No group has declared responsibility for the attack on the mines of the Junaid Coal Co in the mineral-rich province of Balochistan that borders Afghanistan and Iran.

It was the worst such attack in weeks and comes days in the past Pakistan hosts a top of the Eurasian group Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.

A decades-long revolt in Balochistan by separatist militant groups has actually resulted in frequent attacks versus the government, army and Chinese interests in the area, pressing needs for a share in mineral-rich resources.

Besides the separatists, the region is also home to Islamist militants, who have resurged since 2022 after revoking a. ceasefire with the government.

The BLA looks for independence for Balochistan. It is the. most significant of a number of ethnic insurgent groups that have actually fought the. South Asian country's government for decades, saying it unjustly. exploits Balochistan's rich gas and mineral resources.

The province is home to essential mining tasks, including Reko. Diq, run by huge Barrick Gold and thought to be one. of the world's biggest gold and copper mines. China also. runs a gold and copper mine in the province.

At the time of the attack, a delegation from Saudi Arabia,. which states it is set to purchase a stake in the Reko Diq mine, was in. Islamabad checking out deals as Pakistan seeks to recover from an. recession.

(source: Reuters)