QUETTA, April 8: Seven mine workers were killed and four others injured when unidentified armed men ambushed their wagon near Chamalang, 350km from here, on Tuesday.

Sources said 14 miners were on their way to Duki from Chamalang coalmine area in a private wagon. When they reached near Sarri area around 100km from Duki, unknown armed men opened fire on them with automatic weapons. Seven miners died on the spot while four others received bullet injuries.

The sources said the incident took place in the early hours and the Duki sub-division administration came to know about it several hours later when one of the injured managed to reach the Duki-Kohlo Road for help.

Officials of Duki and Loralai administration shifted dead and the injured to Civil Hospital Loralai, where condition of two injured was stated to be serious.

The attackers had also kidnapped three miners who were later released unharmed with a letter which warned mine workers, mine owners and local administration against carrying out mining activities in the Chamalang coalfield as it belonged to the Marri tribes, official sources said.

Five of the workers killed in the attack were stated to be Afghan nationals.

Four of the deceased were identified as Abdul Wali, Raz Mohammad, Saeed Ahmed and Lal Mohammad while names of three others could not be ascertained. The injured include Habibur Rehman, Fazalur Rehman, Mohammad Pervez and Abdul Hakeem.

“There is a dispute over the ownership of coalmines in the Chamalang area between the Marri and the Luni tribes which caused the incident,” the official sources said.

It was the second such incident in a week. Eight miners were killed and many others injured five days ago when a wagon was blown up in the Chamalang area after hitting a landmine.

An strike was also observed in the Loralai township on Thursday against the killing. People marched through main roads and blocked streets. Later, they dispersed after being assured by the administration that action would be taken against the assailants.