At least nine police officers were killed after dozens of militants launched a coordinated overnight assault on a police post in Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province on Monday night, officials said on Tuesday. The attack, which took place in a remote area of Ziarat district, triggered a fierce gunbattle and marked the latest escalation in militant violence targeting security forces in the Pakistan.Some police personnel were also injured in the attack, though officials did not disclose the exact number. (AFP)Several police personnel were also injured in the attack, though officials did not disclose the exact number, reported Associated Press.Eight police officers were also abducted by the attackers. However, all of them were later recovered in a security operation, Shahid Rind, a spokesman for the Balochistan government told the news agency.Pakistan's interior minister Mohsin Naqvi paid tribute to the police officers who lost their lives and expressed condolences to their families, saying such attacks “cannot sabotage peace.”The attack comes just days after six terrorists were killed during an attack on a Sindh Rangers compound in Karachi on June 29. Four paramilitary personnel also lost their lives in that attack, which was reportedly the city's first major terrorist strike since October 2024.Also read | 'Remember who Pakistan really is': US senator flags concern over Islamabad's mediator role amid Iran conflictSecurity forces kill 15 militantsFollowing the attack on Monday night, security forces carried out a clearance operation in the area. Rind said the operation ended with 15 militants being killed.He added that intelligence-based operations against militants would continue and said the authorities would respond decisively to any future attacks on security forces.Suspicion falls on Baloch Liberation ArmyNo group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. However, suspicion is likely to fall on the outlawed Baloch Liberation Army (BLA).Also read | Khattar rules out talks with Pak, says only after action against terrorThe BLA had claimed responsibility for a suicide attack on a security post in the coastal town of Jiwani over the weekend. The Pakistani government has neither confirmed nor denied the claim.Fresh security concerns near QuettaAuthorities also acknowledged that armed men attacked civilians on the outskirts of Quetta over the weekend. Since then, villagers have been holding a sit-in near the city, demanding stronger security measures and better protection against future attacks.Also read | NIA charge sheets LeT’s Hafiz Saeed; details Pakistan’s roleThe TTP dangerThe Pakistani Taliban, also known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), maintain a strong presence in Balochistan and have carried out several attacks in the province.Pakistan’s largest but least populous province has long witnessed violence linked to separatist groups as well as the Pakistani Taliban. The Baloch Liberation Army, which the United States designated a foreign terrorist organisation in 2019, has been behind several attacks targeting both security forces and civilians in recent years.(With AP inputs)