News - World: At least 11 people have been killed and seven others injured in an improvised explosive device attack on a vehicle transporting coal miners in Pakistan’s Balochistan province, local officials say.

The attack was carried out on Friday as the vehicle was traveling through the Harnai area, located over 160 kilometers (100 miles) from Quetta, the provincial capital.

According to reports, the bomb had been planted on the roadside and detonated as the vehicle passed.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack, reiterating his “commitment to actively working towards eradicating the menace of terrorism from the country.”

No group has claimed responsibility for the bombing yet. However, the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) remains the most active militant group in the region and has frequently carried out deadly attacks against security forces and Pakistanis from other provinces.

Earlier this month, the same region witnessed a major assault in which 18 Pakistani soldiers were killed.

Balochistan, a resource-rich but long-neglected province, has been at the center of violence led by separatist groups, particularly the BLA, and other Takfiri terrorist groups. The group claims that Islamabad exploits the province’s natural resources, such as gold and copper while neglecting the local population.

Energy projects, especially those involving Chinese investments, have been key targets of BLA attacks, as the group argues that foreign powers and Pakistan’s central government are looting the region’s resources without benefiting its people.

Pakistan saw a sharp rise in terrorist attacks last year, making it the deadliest year in a decade, with at least 1,500 people killed in violence across the country.

Source: Press TV