Islamabad, 18 October (H.S.): Eighteen employees of a marble factory were abducted in Khuzdar district of Pakistan’s restive Balochistan province, while Pakistani forces reportedly responded forcefully to firing by Afghan Taliban forces along the border.

According to a report by The Balochistan Post, armed men attacked a marble factory near the Besar Hills in the Nal area of Khuzdar district, approximately 40 kilometres from Khuzdar, and abducted 18 employees working at the facility.

Police said dozens of armed men arrived at the factory in vehicles and on motorcycles on Saturday evening before taking the workers away. The attackers also allegedly fled with two vehicles and a loader.

In a separate development, Afghan Taliban forces reportedly opened fire without provocation in the Taida sector of Upper Kurram and at Ghozgarhi, according to a report by The News. The Pakistani military responded to the firing, targeting the Afghan Taliban’s Topsar post and Shipola base camp.

Several Afghan Taliban fighters were reportedly killed in the exchange of fire, while the Shipola base camp was destroyed, the report said.

According to Pakistan’s Ministry of Information, the country carried out precision airstrikes against terrorist hideouts in Afghanistan earlier this month. Despite several rounds of talks, Islamabad and Kabul have so far been unable to resolve their differences.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar