Militants Block Ziarat Road and Open Fire, Killing Two Motorcyclists and Injuring One
QUETTA: Unidentified militants reportedly blocked the Ziarat-Quetta highway near the border area between Kuch in Ziarat district and Khanai Baba in Pishin district last night and opened fire on motorcyclists, killing two people and injuring another.
According to reports, armed men had blocked the highway and signalled six people travelling on three motorcycles to stop. When they failed to stop, the militants opened fire.
Two motorcyclists were killed in the attack, while another was injured. The injured man and his companion managed to escape by speeding away on their motorcycle. Two other people who were travelling with the group remain missing.
The deceased were identified as Ehsanullah and Muhammad Younis, both residents of Sanjavi in Ziarat district. They were reportedly travelling from Sanjavi to Quetta when they came under attack.
The funeral prayers of the two deceased were offered in Sanjavi.
Meanwhile, police authorities in Pishin and Ziarat have so far been unable to determine which district the incident falls under, delaying further clarity regarding the investigation.
The incident has caused serious concern among local residents, particularly amid reports of armed groups becoming active again in the area.
The area near Kuch in Ziarat had previously witnessed a major militant attack on July 6, in which 30 police personnel were martyred in an attack attributed to the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
Families of the martyred police personnel had staged a protest sit-in for several days, demanding effective action against armed groups and their elimination from the region.
The latest incident has once again raised concerns among residents about the security situation and the reported re-emergence of armed groups in the area.
