16 mining labourers abducted in Pak's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province

At least 16 labourers working on a uranium and plutonium mining site in Pakistan's restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province were abducted by unknown armed men on Thursday, sources said.

The labourers were abducted from a vehicle en route to the Atomic Energy Mine Project site in Lakki Marwat district.

Later, the abductors set the vehicle on fire in the Qabal Khel area. The gunmen shifted the labourers to an undisclosed location.

No group claimed responsibility for the abduction.

The banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is active in the area and has been blamed for such abductions in the past.

The TTP, set up as an umbrella group of several militant outfits in 2007, is believed to be close to al-Qaeda. The group has been blamed for several deadly attacks across Pakistan.

This incident highlights the deteriorating security situation in the region. In July last year, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Home Department issued a travel advisory for government officials and employees in the Bannu Division, warning of increased risks due to heightened terrorist activities.

The advisory noted a surge in targeted attacks on law enforcement personnel, abductions, and assassinations, particularly in areas such as Tank, Dera Ismail Khan, Lakki Marwat, and Bannu.

In late August, three employees of the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) were abducted from Baka Khel in Bannu.

In November, seven police officers were abducted from Bannu but were safely recovered a few days later.

The recent abduction has raised alarms over the safety of government employees and the need for heightened security measures in the region.