Militants attacked a police post overnight in southwestern Pakistan, triggering an intense gun battle that killed nine police officers and wounded some others, officials said. The attack took place in the Ziarat district of Balochistan province, where militant violence has escalated in recent months. The attackers also abducted eight police officers, but all were later recovered by security forces. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but officials suspect the outlawed Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) may be behind it. The BLA has been responsible for several attacks on security forces in the region. In recent weeks, militants have carried out attacks on civilians in the Quetta region, prompting villagers to stage a sit-in protest.