In one of the deadliest attacks in southwestern Pakistan, gunmen targeted and fatally shot 23 passengers after pulling them from buses, vehicles, and trucks. The incident occurred overnight in Musakhail, Balochistan province, where the attackers also set fire to at least 10 vehicles before escaping the scene.
Authorities, including President Asif Ali Zardari and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, condemned the attack as barbaric and promised to bring the perpetrators to justice. The outlawed Baloch Liberation Army separatist group had issued a warning prior to the attack, but no one has claimed responsibility yet.
Balochistan has a history of insurgency, with separatists targeting individuals from other regions, especially Punjab, aiming to remove them from the province. The violence has been attributed to various groups seeking independence from Islamabad’s central government, including Islamic militants operating in the area.
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