By Mil.ru, CC BY 4.0,
Armed militants in the Balochistan region of Pakistan have assaulted a train carrying over 400 passengers and taken several individuals hostage, as reported by military sources to the BBC on Tuesday. The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) opened fire on the Jaffar Express Train while it was en route from Quetta to Peshawar. The separatist organization claimed responsibility for bombing the railway track prior to storming the train in the remote Sibi district, asserting that the train was under their control.
As of Wednesday morning, local media indicated that at least 16 militants had been killed and 100 passengers had been released, although the BBC has not independently verified these figures. Among those freed were 17 injured passengers, who have since been hospitalized for medical care. Reports suggest that the militants have threatened to execute hostages if the authorities do not release Baloch political prisoners within a 48-hour timeframe.
The rescue operation is currently ongoing. A spokesman for the Balochistan government informed local newspaper Dawn of “intense firing” at the train on Tuesday. A senior police official noted that the train “remains stuck just before a tunnel surrounded by mountains,” according to the AFP news agency. A senior army official confirmed to the BBC that over 100 army personnel were aboard the train traveling from Quetta.
The Pakistani government, along with several Western nations, including the UK and the US, has classified the BLA as a terrorist organization. The group has been engaged in a prolonged insurgency aimed at achieving independence and has conducted numerous lethal attacks, frequently targeting police stations, railway lines, and highways. On Tuesday, the BLA issued a warning of “severe consequences” should any attempts be made to rescue the hostages they are holding.
Muhammad Bilal, one of the liberated hostages, expressed to the AFP news agency, “I struggle to articulate the experience of our escape. It was a harrowing ordeal.” Another passenger, Allahditta, mentioned that he was permitted to leave due to his heart condition. The 49-year-old recounted how individuals “began to conceal themselves beneath the seats in sheer panic” as the assailants invaded the train.
A local railway official in Quetta previously informed the BBC that a group of 86 passengers, including women and children, successfully disembarked and made their way to the nearest railway station, Panir. The official noted that this group consisted of residents from the Balochistan province.
One individual, whose brother-in-law remained on the train, described the agonizing wait for news. He attempted to drive to the location, but found many roads were obstructed. Meanwhile, families of the passengers anxiously sought information about their loved ones at the Quetta railway station counter.
The son of a passenger, Muhammad Ashraf, who departed from Quetta to Lahore on Tuesday morning, informed BBC Urdu that he had been unable to reach his father. Another relative expressed his “frantic worry” for his cousin and her young child, who were traveling from Quetta to Multan to collect a family member. “No one is providing me with updates on their situation or confirming their safety,” Imran Khan told Reuters news agency.
Officials have stated that they have yet to establish communication with anyone aboard the train. The region lacks internet and mobile network coverage, as reported by officials to the BBC. Balochistan, while being Pakistan’s largest province and abundant in natural resources, remains the least developed.
