ZIARAT: At least nine police personnel were martyred on Tuesday when terrorists launched an attack on a police contingent in the Kach Mangi Phase 3 area of Ziarat district, according to the Deputy Commissioner (DC) Ziarat, though local sources put the toll considerably higher.
The DC Ziarat confirmed that nine personnel had been martyred in the attack, which targeted police stationed in the area. The bodies of the slain personnel were shifted to the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital Ziarat for medico-legal formalities.
According to official accounts, an intense exchange of fire between the attackers and police has continued since Monday night, with the two sides locked in a prolonged confrontation.
However, local sources cited by residents of the area claimed the actual death toll could be as high as 15, a figure that has not been officially confirmed.
MM News could not independently verify the higher casualty count, and authorities have not issued a revised statement so far.
The identities of the attackers, as well as their affiliation, have not yet been officially disclosed. No group had claimed responsibility for the assault at the time of filing this report.
Pattern of insecurity in the area
Tuesday’s attack comes against the backdrop of a volatile security situation in Ziarat district in recent days.
Earlier, there were reports that an officer and several personnel were reportedly abducted by armed assailants late Monday night following an hours-long gun battle in the nearby Kach area of Ziarat.
That report cited local sources as saying that a contingent of roughly 30 to 35 Ziarat police personnel had engaged the attackers through the day but were eventually overwhelmed after running low on ammunition and receiving no timely reinforcements, with the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Ziarat, two Station House Officers, and other personnel reportedly abducted before the attackers fled into the surrounding terrain.
Balochistan, it may be added here, has for years remained a flashpoint for militant attacks on security forces, with police and paramilitary personnel frequently bearing the brunt of such assaults amid a long-running insurgency in the province.
Search operation and next steps
Security forces have reportedly launched a search operation in the surrounding hills to track the attackers and ascertain the fate of any personnel unaccounted for. Officials said further details, including a confirmed casualty count and the identities of the martyred personnel, would be released once verified.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
