Nine police officers killed in deadly attack at dam site in Pakistan's Balochistan

At least nine police personnel were killed and several others remain missing after heavily armed attackers targeted a security team guarding the construction site of a major dam in Pakistan's restive Balochistan province on Tuesday.

According to local officials, the gunmen opened fire on police deployed at the Mangi Dam project in Ziarat district. Deputy Commissioner Abdul Quddus Achakzai said two senior police officers were among those killed, while search operations are continuing to trace the missing personnel.

No militant group has claimed responsibility for the assault so far. However, Balochistan authorities said security forces launched a retaliatory clearance operation in the area, killing 15 members of the Pakistani Taliban (TPP).

The attack sparked protests along a national highway near the incident site, with demonstrators demanding stronger security measures.

Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi strongly condemned the attack, calling the slain officers 'the pride of our nation' and paying tribute to their sacrifice.

The police team had been deployed to protect workers at the Mangi Dam project, a key infrastructure initiative aimed at addressing chronic water shortages in Quetta, the provincial capital.

Balochistan, which shares borders with Afghanistan and Iran, has long witnessed insurgency and militant violence. Several separatist groups operating in the region have been demanding greater autonomy from Islamabad.

The province has experienced a series of deadly attacks in recent months. In May, officials blamed the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) for an attack on a train carrying military personnel that left 20 people dead.

More recently, tensions have also risen along the Afghan border, with Afghanistan's Taliban government claiming cross-border strikes, while Pakistan said it intercepted and shot down four drones last week.