Gunmen attack Mangi Dam police convoy in Ziarat, Balochistan; several officers killed and missing

Attack on police guarding Mangi Dam in Ziarat leaves several officers dead and missing

At least nine police officers were killed and several more reported missing after gunmen attacked security personnel guarding the Mangi Dam construction site in Ziarat district, Balochistan, local official Deputy Commissioner Abdul Quddus Achakzai told BBC Urdu on the day of the incident.

The assailants opened fire on officers deployed at the multi-billion rupee dam project, which is intended to help address Quetta’s water shortage, the deputy commissioner said. Two senior officers were among those confirmed dead.

Following the attack, provincial security forces conducted a clearance operation in the area, during which officials said 15 members of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TPP) were killed. No group had claimed responsibility for the initial assault at the time of the statements.

Protests by local residents took place along the national highway near the construction site after news of the attack spread. Authorities launched search operations to locate the missing personnel and secure the site.

Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi issued a condemnation, describing the slain officers as “the pride of our nation,” according to official statements. Provincial authorities confirmed the officers were assigned to protect the Mangi Dam works.

Balochistan, which borders Afghanistan and Iran, has experienced long-standing unrest driven by local militant demands for greater autonomy. In May, officials attributed an attack on a military transport train to the Balochistan Liberation Army, which killed 20 people.

The security situation near the border has been tense, with recent cross-border actions reported. Afghanistan’s Taliban administration said it had carried out strikes in the region last week, and Pakistan’s military reported shooting down four drones in related operations.