According to police sources, the attackers again targeted a group of people of Hazara community who were going to the coalmine town of Mach, some 75km from here.

Quetta DIG Hamid Shakeel told Dawn the armed men on a car intercepted the van in the new Sariab area on the Quetta-Sibi highway and opened fire on the occupants. They escaped after the attack.

FC and police personnel took the bodies to the Bolan Medical College Hospital from where they were shifted to the Quetta CMH.

The police official termed it a sectarian attack.

The deceased were identified as Ali Mohammad, Ewiz Ali and Ali Khan.

A spokesman for the banned Lashkar-i-Jhangvi, who identified himself as Ali Sher Haidari, claimed responsibility for the attack.

The 26 people killed in Mastung also belonged to the Hazara community.