Armed men killed 23 in Musakhail attack

Authorities reported on Monday that at least 23 people have been murdered after being offloaded from passenger buses and trucks in the Rarasham area of Musakhel, Balochistan.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ayub Achakzai provided information about the event, stating that armed men reportedly ceased the interprovincial route, forced people to come out from multiple buses, and shot them after identification. Police arrived at the scene of the tragedy and took bodies to the hospital.

According to Musakhail Assistant Commissioner Najeeb Kakar, “Individuals from Punjab were identified and shot, and vehicles going to and from the province were inspected.”

AC Kakar further added that ten vehicles were set on fire by the armed group before they flew to the scene. However, no information regarding the attackers has yet been made public.

The spokesperson for the Balochistan government, Shahid Rind, stated that the militants had targeted two or three fonts where they had encountered retaliation from the security forces and law enforcement agencies (LEAs). He said to carry out the Musakhel assault, the terrorists had used the darkness to their advantage.

The chief minister of Balochistan, Sarfraz Bugti, also called an emergency meeting to discuss the matter and to make “important decisions”.

The Musakhail incident occurs at a time when Balochistan is going through severe security concerns.

On the other hand, since 2021, there has been an increase in terrorist-related activities in Pakistan. The majority of terror incidents occurred in the border areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.