The military said in a statement that the attack carried out by “many terrorists” killed seven soldiers and seven civilian guards.
The surrounding area has been closed and a search for perpetrators is ongoing.
The umbrella organization of the Baloch armed group Baloch Raaji Aajoi Sangar (BRAS) claimed responsibility for the attack. CNN cannot confirm the claim.
In a statement obtained by CNN, the alliance said, “Companies such as OCDCL are using Baloch resources in strategies to expand Balochistan’s occupation.”
Balochistan has seen decades of rebellion by separatists demanding independence from Pakistan. What they are talking about is the state monopoly and exploitation of the state’s mineral resources.
BRAS called for a halt of all operations and said that “all Chinese agreements with the occupying Pakistani forces will be completely rejected and nullified.”
In 2015, China made Gwadar the world’s deepest port under Beijing’s One-to-One Road Trade and Infrastructure plan. The coastal town of Balochistan is now the center of Chinese investment in Pakistan.
Heavy troops are stationed along the coastal belts of Gwadar and Balochistan, linking ports to highway and rail networks.
Sophia Saifi and Saleem Mehsud of Islamabad and Syed Ali Shah of Quetta contributed to this report.
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