23 Killed in Balochistan: Ethnic Tensions Escalate

Unidentified gunmen killed at least 23 people from Punjab in a targeted attack in Balochistan. Suspected militants offloaded the victims from buses, checked their IDs, and shot them. This ethnic-based violence continues as previous similar attacks in the region have demonstrated.

In a tragic incident, unidentified gunmen shot and killed at least 23 people from Punjab province in Pakistan's restive Balochistan province on Monday. The assailants offloaded passengers from buses in Musakhel district and identified victims using their national ID cards before executing them, according to Senior Superintendent of Police Ayub Khoso.

"The passengers were told to get down from buses and shot dead after being identified from their national ID cards," Khoso confirmed. The victims primarily hailed from southern Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, suggesting ethnic motivations behind the attack. Armed men also set 12 vehicles ablaze before escaping into the mountains.

Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti condemned the attack and expressed his condolences to the victims' families. He vowed that the Balochistan government would pursue the perpetrators of this heinous act of terrorism. This incident follows similar violence in the region targeting individuals based on their ethnic background.

(With inputs from agencies.)