At least nine police officers were killed in a militant attack on a police post in Ziarat district, Balochistan province, Pakistan. Two of those killed were officers-in-charge of local police stations. Pakistani officials disclosed the information on Tuesday (July 7).
Shahid Rind, adviser to the Balochistan chief minister on media and political affairs, said 15 Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants were killed in a joint clearance operation launched after the attack, according to Dawn News.
Local sources said a group of armed attackers stormed the police post late at night. Police exchanged fire with the militants for some time before the attackers took control of the post.
Ziarat Deputy Commissioner Abdul Quddus Achakzai said the incident occurred in the Mangi Dam area. He said five police personnel remain unaccounted for, and additional police have been deployed to search for them, with the operation ongoing.
Rind said the attack killed two officers-in-charge from Mangi and Kawas police stations and a head constable in charge of the counter-terrorism unit. The bodies were taken to the district headquarters hospital to complete legal formalities.
He added that the joint clearance operation launched after the attack has concluded, killing 15 militants. He said the militants had to pay a “heavy price” for attempting to disrupt peace in Balochistan.
Meanwhile, local residents blocked the Quetta-Ziarat highway in protest of the attack, halting traffic on the Quetta-Zhob highway.
Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari strongly condemned the attack and paid tribute to the police officers killed on duty. In a statement, he said all conspiracies to disrupt peace and stability in Balochistan would be foiled, and that the operation against terrorism would continue at full strength.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also condemned the attack and paid tribute to the slain officers. Speaking to state broadcaster PTV, he said the blood of the martyrs would be avenged and no opportunity would be given to disrupt peace in Balochistan, adding that the operation would continue until the enemy was completely eliminated.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report