KARACHI, Oct 13 (Reuters) - The Baloch Liberation Army,

a militant separatist group in Pakistan, denied involvement in

an attack that killed at least 21 mine workers, condemning the

violence.

Dozens of attackers stormed a cluster of small private coal

mines in Pakistan's restive southwest on Friday with guns,

rockets and hand grenades, killing some miners in their sleep

and shooting others after lining them up.

"Baloch Liberation Army condemns the massacre of 21 Pashtun

workers in Dukki, making it clear that our organization has no

involvement in this tragic incident," the BLA said in an email

late on Saturday.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack on the

mines of the Junaid Coal Co in the mineral-rich province of

Balochistan that borders Afghanistan and Iran.

It was the worst such attack in weeks and comes days before

Pakistan hosts a summit of the Eurasian group Shanghai

Cooperation Organisation.

A decades-long insurgency in Balochistan by separatist

militant groups has led to frequent attacks against the

government, army and Chinese interests in the region, pressing

demands for a share in mineral-rich resources.

Besides the separatists, the region is also home to Islamist

militants, who have resurged since 2022 after revoking a

ceasefire with the government.

The BLA seeks independence for Balochistan. It is the

biggest of several ethnic insurgent groups that have battled the

South Asian nation's government for decades, saying it unfairly

exploits Balochistan's rich gas and mineral resources.

The province is home to key mining projects, including Reko

Diq, run by giant Barrick Gold ( GOLD ) and believed to be one

of the world's largest gold and copper mines. China also

operates a gold and copper mine in the province.

At the time of the attack, a delegation from Saudi Arabia,

which says it is set to buy a stake in the Reko Diq mine, was in

Islamabad exploring deals as Pakistan seeks to recover from an

economic crisis.