At least 11 people, including a pregnant woman, were killed when armed men attacked a house party in a township in South Africa's coastal city of Durban. The incident occurred late Tuesday night, according to Thamsanqa Ntuli, the premier of KwaZulu-Natal province.

The assailants entered the residence shortly before 11 p.m. local time, finding victims gathered for a party. Preliminary investigations suggest the attackers forced everyone into a single room before opening fire. They also reportedly set fire to a car belonging to one of the attendees.

Two individuals survived the attack. Premier Ntuli stated that the motive behind the killings is not yet clear, but acknowledged the "profound shock and grief" gripping the community. Local broadcaster eNCA quoted a resident expressing disbelief, describing the event as "like a movie" and unprecedented in their lifetime.

South African police indicated in a statement that some of the deceased were known to Crime Intelligence for suspected illegal activities. While the motive remains unconfirmed, police have not ruled out a "feud between rival groupings."

South Africa grapples with a high murder rate, with an average of about 60 homicides daily within its population of approximately 62 million. The government has previously deployed soldiers to violent areas to combat rampant crime, which President Cyril Ramaphosa has identified as a major national threat.

This incident occurs against a backdrop of significant concern over violence against women in South Africa. Recent reports have highlighted a wave of femicides, with multiple women found dead in the Ekurhuleni region in the weeks prior to this attack.

The ongoing violence and high crime rates continue to pose a significant challenge for authorities. The specific circumstances and motive behind the Durban township shooting are still under investigation, leaving many questions unanswered about the perpetrators and their reasons.

Further details are expected to emerge as police continue their investigation into this tragic event that has sent shockwaves through the local community and highlighted the persistent issue of violent crime in the region.