Pakistan attack: Gunmen storm five-star hotel in Balochistan
Pakistan attack: Gunmen storm five-star hotel in Balochistan
The attack targeted
the Zaver Pearl-Continental Hotel in the strategic port city of Gwadar, the
centerpiece of a multi-billion-dollar Chinese project.
A hotel spokesman said
there were no guests and few staff due to Ramadan.
The separatist
Balochistan Liberation Army said it had carried out the attack to target
Chinese and other investors.
"Expect more
attacks China and Pakistan," said a Twitter account that claimed to be
linked to the group.
Militants in
Balochistan oppose Chinese investment, saying it is of little benefit to local
people.
What do we know about
the attack?
The gunmen stormed the
hotel, usually popular with top government officials and foreign visitors, at
around 16:50 local time (11:50 GMT), killing one security guard who tried to
stop them at the entrance.
Security forces
entered the hotel and took part in a gun battle with the militants.
Due to the Muslim holy
month of Ramadan, the hotel had no guests and a very limited number of staff, a
Zaver Pearl-Continental spokesperson told the BBC.
However, earlier
reports suggested that hotel guests had been evacuated safely.
What is the situation
in Balochistan?
Home to a long-running
insurgency, Balochistan is Pakistan's poorest and least developed province.
It shares a large,
porous border with Afghanistan and Iran.
Its economy is dominated by natural resources, particularly
natural gas, and is being transformed by major Chinese infrastructure projects
on the CPEC, part of the ambitious Belt and Road initiative.
Several militant groups operate in the region, including the
Pakistani Taliban, the BLA and the Sunni Muslim extremist group
Lashkar-e-Jhangvi.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-48238759
0 Response to "Pakistan attack: Gunmen storm five-star hotel in Balochistan"
Post a Comment