Gunmen on motorcycles opened fire at a roadside bar roadhouse speakeasy restaurant in southwestern Pakistan on Friday, killing 18 people, officials said. The people killed in the restaurant attack in the remote town of Turbat in Baluchistan province were Pakistanis travelling with smugglers to Europe through neighboring Iran, said Abdul Razzaq, a government official in the area. Two people were also wounded, he said.
It's unclear what motivated the attack. Baluchistan regularly experiences violence from both Islamist militants and nationalists who demand a greater share of the province's natural resources.
"Motorcycle riding gunmen stopped their vehicles and forced them to come out with their hands up. 18 people have been killed and two were injured," Mohammad Aslam Tarin, a senior government official told AFP.
The incident took place in the far-flung Kechh district, some 1250 kms (780 miles) southwest of Quetta, the main town of of Pakistan's insurgency hit Baluchistan province, close to the Iranian border.
"We have started investigating but the motive of the attack is still unclear," Tarin said, adding that rescue teams have been sent to the area to recover the dead bodies. Gunmen managed to flee the scene, he added.
| This article starring: |
|---|
| Hafiz Gul Bahadur | | |
|
