Ten people, including a foreign national, were killed and five others injured when unidentified militants attacked a copper and gold mining project operated by National Resources Limited (NRL) in the Darigwan area of mineral riche District Chaghi, Balochistan. The incident took place in a region situated near the border with Iran.
According to local authorities and police, over 40 armed men riding motorcycles and vehicles launched a coordinated assault on the mining site at approximately 5:45 PM on Wednesday.
The attackers used small arms and fired rockets from multiple directions. During the assault, a fuel tank exploded after being hit by gunfire or rockets, causing several employees to burn to death. The militants also set fire to drilling machinery, generators, and other equipment before fleeing with several company vehicles.
Dr. Lawang Khan, Medical Superintendent of Prince Fahad Hospital in Dalbandin, confirmed that 10 bodies were brought to the facility. Seven victims died from severe burns, while three were killed by gunshot wounds.
The deceased have been identified as Omer, a Turkish national (drilling specialist), Mohammad Asif, resident of Gilgit (geologist) and Shafiq Sajid, security staff Rehmatullah and Ikram Khan (local residents of Dalbandin), other workers workers Sher Zaman (Karak, KP), Sultan (Bela, Balochistan), Sajjad (Chitral), Ali Sher (Khairpur, Sindh), and Vikram Gluram (Sindh).
Dr Khan told Voicepk that out of the five injured, two have been shifted to Quetta for advanced medical treatment.
National Resources Limited (NRL) confirmed the incident in a press release, stating that security forces, including the Frontier Corps (FC), responded immediately and secured the area. A clearance and search operation is currently underway to ensure the safety of personnel and assets.
The company noted that over 90 percent of its workforce is comprised of local residents from Balochistan. NRL is a joint venture between Fatima Fertilizer, Liberty Mills, and Lucky Cement.
The company holds a license for gold and copper exploration across an area of 500 square kilometers in Balochistan.
While no group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet, security forces have cordoned off the region to track down the perpetrators.