Pakistani security forces killed 15 militants in a joint clearance operation following an overnight attack on a police post in the southwestern Balochistan province that left nine police officers dead, a provincial government spokesman said on Tuesday.
Attack on Police Post in Ziarat
The assault targeted a police post in the remote Ziarat district, where militants launched a pre-dawn attack that triggered a gunbattle. The attack marked the latest escalation in militant violence in Balochistan, where separatist insurgents and Islamist militants have stepped up attacks on security forces in recent years.
Shahid Rind, the provincial administration’s spokesperson, told Arab News over the phone: “A joint clearance operation against militants in Ziarat district has been successfully completed by the security forces, Frontier Corps, Balochistan Police, the Counterterrorism Department, the Special Operations Wing and the Anti-Terrorism Force (ATF) during which 15 terrorists were killed.”
Casualties and Rescue Operations
Rind said nine police officers were killed in the attack, including the station house officers (SHOs) of the Mangi and Kawas police stations. He informed that eight police officers who had been abducted during the assault had safely reached the Kach police station, while another constable had also been rescued.
“The terrorists have paid a heavy price for attempting to disrupt peace in Balochistan, and there will be no safe haven for them in the province,” Rind added. “Intelligence-based operations against militants will continue with greater effectiveness, and decisive action will be taken against those challenging the writ of the state.”
Prime Minister Condemns Attack
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack in a statement issued by his office, paying tribute to the police officers killed in the assault and expressing condolences to their families. “The attack has once again proved that these people are enemies of Balochistan’s development, peace and the prosperity of its people,” Sharif said. “No one will be allowed to undermine peace in Balochistan,” he added, vowing that the fight against militants would continue until they were eliminated.
No Claim of Responsibility
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. Pakistan has repeatedly accused India of backing militant groups operating in Balochistan, an allegation New Delhi denies.
