Nine police personnel martyred, 15 militants killed in Ziarat operation

QUETTA: At least nine police personnel were martyred while 15 militants were killed during a counterterrorism operation in Balochistan’s Ziarat district after terrorists attacked police in the Kuch Mangi Phase III area, officials said on Tuesday.

The assault triggered a large-scale joint clearance operation involving multiple law enforcement agencies, with authorities saying the operation had been completed successfully and dealt a major blow to the militant network.

Nine police personnel embrace martyrdom

According to Ziarat SP Qadoos Dehwar, the terrorists targeted police personnel, resulting in the martyrdom of nine officers and officials. Police said an exchange of fire between security forces and the attackers had been ongoing since Monday night before the assault.

Authorities have identified eight of the nine martyred personnel as SHO Muhammad Hussain, SHO Sohbat Khan, Abdul Baqi, son of Abdul Rahman Sanjawi, Sher Muhammad Kawas, Mansoor Ahmed, son of Muhammad Umar Wacha Ghauski, Saifullah of the Anti-Terrorist Force (ATF) Harnai, Muhammad Ashraf Sanjawi, and Azad Khan Sanjawi. The identity of the ninth martyred officer has yet to be officially disclosed.

The bodies of the deceased personnel were shifted to the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital in Ziarat for legal formalities and post-mortem examinations.

Joint operation kills 15 militants

Following the attack, security forces launched a joint clearance operation against militants belonging to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), also referred to by the government as Fitna al-Khawarij.

Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind said the operation was carried out jointly by the Frontier Corps (FC), Balochistan Police, the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), the Special Operations Wing (SOW) and the Anti-Terrorist Force (ATF).

Separately, Balochistan government spokesperson for the Home Department Babar Yousafzai said the operation had dealt a significant blow to the terrorist network, with 15 militants killed.

Rind added that DSP Ghulam Sarwar and eight other police personnel safely reached Kach Police Station after navigating difficult mountainous terrain, while Constable Rizwan was also recovered safely during the operation.

Government vows to continue anti-terror operations

Paying tribute to the martyred police personnel, both provincial officials praised the courage and professionalism of the security forces and law enforcement agencies, saying they had thwarted the terrorists’ plans through coordinated action.

Yousafzai said intelligence-based operations against terrorist organisations and their facilitators would continue until terrorism was completely eradicated from Balochistan. He stressed that there was no place in the province for terrorists or those aiding them, adding that any attack on the writ of the state would be met with a decisive response.

He described the sacrifices of the martyred officers as a national asset and vowed that those responsible would be brought to justice. Lasting peace, protection of lives and property, and the elimination of terrorism remain the government’s top priorities, he said, expressing confidence that the combined efforts of security forces and the people of Balochistan would ultimately defeat militancy.

Rind also reaffirmed the provincial government’s resolve to continue counterterrorism operations until the threat is completely eliminated, saying the sacrifices of the fallen police personnel would not be forgotten.