15 terrorists killed as deadly Ziarat assault leaves nine policemen martyred

• Joint clearance operation launched after heavily armed militants storm police check post in Kach Mangi Phase III

• Nine police personnel, including two SHOs, embrace martyrdom during hours-long gun battle with Fitna al-Khawarij terrorists

• Security forces, FC, CTD, ATF and police eliminate 15 terrorists as province-wide hunt for terrorists intensifies: Advisor

• Eight abducted police personnel and DSP Ghulam Sarwar return safely after operation; Constable Rizwan also rescued: Rind

 ISLAMABAD/QUETTA: Security forces killed 15 terrorists in a large-scale joint clearance operation launched after a deadly overnight assault on a police check post in Balochistan's Kach Mangi Phase III area of Ziarat district, where nine police personnel, including two Station House Officers (SHOs), embraced martyrdom, the Balochistan government said on Tuesday.

"Security forces, police and other law enforcement agencies have completed a joint clearance operation against the terrorists in Ziarat, during which 15 terrorists were killed," Adviser to the Balochistan Chief Minister Shahid Rind said in a statement.

According to police, at least nine police officials, including two SHOs, were martyred during the night between Monday and Tuesday when terrorists affiliated with Fitna al-Khawarij attacked the police check post in the Kach Mangi Phase III area of the tourist district of Ziarat.

Fitna al-Khawarij is the term used by the state for terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

Shahid Rind said the heavily armed militants launched the attack late Monday night, triggering an intense exchange of fire with police that continued for several hours.

Following the assault, security forces launched a coordinated clearance operation involving the Frontier Corps, Balochistan Police, the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), the Special Operations Wing and the Anti-Terrorism Force (ATF), he said.

"The joint clearance operation has been successfully completed, during which 15 terrorists were killed, and there will be no safe haven for them in the province," Rind said.

He added that eight police personnel who had been abducted during the attack safely returned as a result of the operation.

The adviser said the terrorists had paid a heavy price for attempting to undermine peace in Balochistan and reaffirmed the government's resolve to confront terrorism with full force.

He said there would be no safe havens for terrorists in the province and that every attack would be met with a strong and decisive response, while intelligence-based operations (IBOs) would continue with greater effectiveness.

Rind said those challenging the writ of the state would be brought to justice, adding that there would be no compromise on peace, stability and the protection of the people of Balochistan.

He further said Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Ghulam Sarwar and eight police personnel safely reached Kach police station after traversing difficult mountainous terrain, while Constable Rizwan was also rescued safely.

Although no group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, Rind blamed the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a consortium of several militant groups operating in the country, for carrying out the assault.

According to Ziarat Superintendent of Police (SP) Abdul Qadoos Dehwar, the terrorists specifically targeted police personnel deployed at the Kach Mangi Phase III check post. He confirmed that security forces, police and other law enforcement agencies subsequently conducted a joint clearance operation in which 15 terrorists were killed.

Among those martyred were SHO Mangi Muhammad Hussain, SHO Kawas Sohbat Khan, Anti-Terrorism Force (ATF) in-charge Head Constable Saifullah and other police personnel. Police and the terrorists exchanged heavy gunfire for several hours during the operation.

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

SP Dehwar said the terrorists abducted several local residents along with police personnel during the attack, adding that five of the abducted civilians later managed to escape.

Meanwhile, residents of Ziarat staged a protest against the attack by blocking the national highway at Ziarat Cross, suspending traffic and causing long queues of vehicles.

Authorities said search and intelligence-based operations were continuing in the area, while action against facilitators of the terrorists had also been intensified.

Earlier on Monday, protesters continued to block Quetta's Airport Road outside BA Mall following a deadly armed clash in the Hanna Urak area that left four men dead and several others injured, demanding the immediate arrest of those responsible and stronger security measures.

The demonstrators placed the body of one of the deceased on the road and continued a sit-in, disrupting traffic on one of the city's busiest arteries. They vowed to continue their protest until the authorities took concrete action against those involved in the attack.