Quetta (PNI) In Balochistan’s Musakhail district, at least 23 people were killed early Monday morning when armed men removed passengers from trucks and buses and then shot them after verifying their identities, according to an official.
Musakhail Assistant Commissioner Najeeb Kakar reported that armed militants blocked the inter-provincial highway in the Rarasham area, targeting multiple buses. The assailants, estimated to be between 30 and 40 in number, stopped and inspected 22 vehicles on the highway connecting Punjab with Balochistan. They identified and shot passengers from Punjab.
The victims were all from Punjab, Kakar confirmed. In addition to the shootings, the attackers set fire to 23 vehicles, including 17 trucks, two passenger vans, and four pick-up trucks.
Police and Levies officials arrived at the scene to transport the bodies to the hospital. The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), a prominent militant group in the region, has claimed responsibility for the attack, marking it as one of the deadliest shootings in recent years.
This incident follows a similar attack in April, when nine passengers were killed after being offloaded from a bus near Noshki city, Balochistan, by gunmen who checked their ID cards.
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