Police report that private security guards stationed at the site resisted, leading to violent exchanges of fire.
A mining excavator loads a mining truck at the Los Bronces copper mine PHOTO: Reuter
QUETTA:
Unidentified gunmen launched a deadly attack on a copper and gold mining project in Balochistan’s Chagai district on Wednesday evening, killing ten people, including a Turkish national.
According to company officials, the attack targeted the National Resources Limited (NRL) mining site located in the Darigun area, about 120 kilometers from Dalbandin.
In an official statement, the company confirmed that the attack occurred on Wednesday around 5:45 p.m. Security forces, including the Frontier Corps (FC), immediately responded and cordoned off the surrounding area. Police officials reported that private security guards stationed at the scene resisted, leading to heavy exchanges of gunfire.
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Authorities said the attackers set fire to drilling machines, generators and other essential equipment. Gunfire and rocket fire triggered a massive explosion in a fuel tank, resulting in several employees being burned to death. They further noted that the attackers fled the scene, taking several vehicles with them.
The deceased and injured were transferred to Prince Fahd Hospital in Dalbandin. Hospital sources confirmed that the victims were from various areas, including Bela, Sindh, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), as well as the region. One of the deceased was identified as Omer, a Turkish national.
Following the incident, security forces launched a search and clearance operation in the rugged terrain. The company said it remains in close coordination with law enforcement to ensure the safety of its remaining staff and facilities.
