Marble Mining Site Attack in Balochistan: 18 Laborers Kidnapped by Unknown Gunmen

QUETTA: Unknown gunmen attacked a marble mining operation in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province, abducting at least 18 local laborers, according to a senior police official who spoke on Sunday. The incident occurs amid a recent surge in kidnappings targeting government officials and workers in the mineral-rich region.

Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest but least developed province bordering Iran and Afghanistan, has endured a prolonged separatist insurgency and has seen increased violence in recent years. The latest attack took place in Naal, a mountainous area approximately 40 kilometers (24 miles) from Khuzdar city, where assailants on motorbikes and vehicles stormed the marble factory.

“Eighteen workers from various villages in Khuzdar district were taken,” a senior police officer told Arab News on condition of anonymity. “One worker, identified as Rasool Bukhsh, sustained injuries during the attack but was later removed along with the other abductees.” Police are actively searching for the missing laborers. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the assault.

The kidnapping marks the second major incident in Balochistan within two days. On Friday, unidentified armed individuals seized at least 20 police constables in Mastung district as they returned from a recruitment center in Kalat. The previous day, a high-ranking official was abducted while traveling through Kharan district.

Militant organizations, including the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), have frequently targeted security forces, law enforcement, and government facilities in the volatile region. Separatist groups allege that Islamabad exploits the province’s resources without equitable development for its residents, claims the federal government rejects. Pakistan has also accused India of supporting separatist militants, a denial New Delhi maintains.

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