Quetta: Several Pakistani citizens and traders held a protest on Friday, in response to the lethal rocket attack on coal mines in Duki, Balochistan, which resulted in the deaths of at least 20 miners and injuries to seven others.

The attack was the most recent act of violence in the southwestern province. The mineral-rich area, which borders Afghanistan and Iran, has faced decades of turmoil due to recurring violence, as reported by The News International.

Humayun Khan, the police station house officer for the town located east of Quetta, stated, "A group of armed men attacked the mines in the Duki area in the wee hours [of Friday] using heavy weapons."

They fired rockets and grenades at the mines as well, he added.

No organisation has taken responsibility so far. Following the deadly attack, citizens held a demonstration at Bacha Khan Chowk with the bodies of the deceased miners.

In the meantime, traders declared a shutdown strike throughout the district to condemn the heinous attack. All trade centres and markets in Duki were closed on Friday, as reported by The News International.

The bodies of the deceased miners and the injured were quickly taken to the nearby Teaching Hospital Loralai for medical treatment. According to the report, the police initially reported two minor fatalities, but the death toll rose to 20 within a few hours, as confirmed by Medical Officer Dr Johar Sadozai.

According to the official, two of the deceased miners were from Pishin, two others were residents of Qila Saifullah, one was from Kuchlak, and three had come to work from Afghanistan, as stated by the medical officer.

The coal mine owner, Haji Khairullah Nasir, indicated that the attackers not only targeted the mining site but also set the machinery ablaze.

Since the Taliban regained control in neighbouring Afghanistan in 2021, Pakistan has seen an increase in militant attacks, primarily in the north-western border province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as well as in the southwestern region of Balochistan, which borders Afghanistan and Iran.