Afghan officials say at least 7 miners killed by gunman

KABUL – The provincial governor of Afghanistan’s Baghlan province has said that an unknown gunman has killed 12 coal miners.

Abdul Satar Barez said the Friday attack occurred in the province’s Tala Wa Barfak district as the miners were on their way back to their villages after work. The unknown gunman killed 12 and wounded five, Barez said, adding that an investigation was underway in the area bereft of security posts. He did not elaborate.

Faiz Mohammad Amiri, the district’s governor, put the number of miners killed at seven and blamed the attack on the Taliban. He said all the miners were from the minority Shiite Hazara group.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.