Pakistan, July 7 -- Nine police personnel were martyred after heavily armed militants attacked a police checkpoint in Balochistan's Ziarat district, officials said on Tuesday. Security forces later killed 15 terrorists during a clearance operation launched in the area. The attack marked one of the deadliest assaults on police in recent months.

According to Ziarat District Police Officer Abdul Qadoos, the attackers stormed the police checkpoint in the Mangi area, triggering an intense exchange of gunfire. The bodies of the martyred officers were shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital. He said the assailants also took five police personnel hostage, and efforts were immediately launched to secure their safe recovery.

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