Gunmen have killed at least nine police officers guarding a major dam project in Pakistan’s Balochistan province, highlighting the worsening security situation in the restive region where militant violence continues to threaten both infrastructure projects and security forces.
At least nine police officers have been killed, and several others remain missing after gunmen attacked officers guarding the construction site of a major dam in Pakistan’s south-western Balochistan province.
According to Ziarat Deputy Commissioner Abdul Quddus Achakzai, the attackers opened fire on police personnel deployed to protect the multi-billion-rupee Mangi Dam project in the Ziarat district.
Among those killed were two senior police officers, while security forces have launched a search operation to locate the missing personnel.
No group has immediately claimed responsibility for the assault.
However, Balochistan authorities said security forces later killed 15 members of the Pakistani Taliban (TTP) during a clearance operation carried out in response to the attack.
The incident has sparked protests along a national highway near the attack site, with demonstrators condemning the killings.
Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also denounced the attack, describing the fallen officers as “the pride of our nation.”
The Mangi Dam is a major infrastructure project intended to help address chronic water shortages affecting Quetta, the capital of Balochistan.
Balochistan, which borders both Afghanistan and Iran, has experienced decades of insurgency and militant violence, with separatist groups demanding greater political autonomy and control over the province’s natural resources.
In May, authorities blamed the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) for an attack on a train transporting military personnel that left 20 people dead.
The region has also witnessed growing cross-border tensions. Just last week, Afghanistan’s Taliban government said it carried out strikes in the border area, while Pakistan’s military reported shooting down four drones during the incident.
The latest attack underscores the persistent security challenges facing Pakistan’s largest province, where militant groups continue to target security forces, infrastructure projects and government installations.
