In a significant security incident, armed militants attacked the Jaffar Express Train in Pakistan's Balochistan region, injuring multiple passengers and taking hostages. While the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) has claimed responsibility, security forces are actively conducting rescue operations amidst challenging communication conditions.
Attack on Train in Balochistan: Militants Take Hostages, Rescue Operations Underway
Attack on Train in Balochistan: Militants Take Hostages, Rescue Operations Underway
Armed militants from the Baloch Liberation Army have hijacked a train in Balochistan, Pakistan, leading to an ongoing hostage crisis.
Armed militants in Pakistan's Balochistan region have launched a grave attack on a train, resulting in multiple injuries and hostage situations, as reported by military sources. It is believed that members of the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) fired upon the Jaffar Express Train, which was traveling from Quetta to Peshawar, following a bomb blast on the tracks in the remote Sibi district. The BLA has since declared control over the train in a statement, signaling serious threats against any rescue attempts for the captives.
Local police have indicated at least three individuals, including the train's driver, have sustained injuries. Authorities have dispatched security forces and aerial support to the scene to facilitate rescue efforts. Intense gunfire was reported near the vicinity of the stranded train, which remains surrounded in a mountainous region, as outlined by a senior police official.
The BLA, designated as a terrorist organization by both Pakistani authorities and several Western nations, has a long history of violent campaigns aimed at achieving independence for Balochistan. Recently, the separatists have escalated their operations, primarily targeting police facilities and transportation networks.
According to Quetta's railway controller, there were approximately 400 to 450 passengers aboard the train at the time of the incident, but the exact number of individuals taken hostage remains unclear. A local railway official informed that around 80 passengers, including women and children, managed to escape and reach the nearby Panir railway station. They were subsequently transported to Mach railway station and are expected to be bused back to Quetta.
Families of those affected have expressed rising anxieties, with some unable to contact their loved ones. Reports indicate that mobile network service in the area is nonexistent, complicating communication efforts with passengers still trapped on the train. One relative described a harrowing wait for news regarding his wife and children while another voiced concerns over a cousin traveling with her young child.
As rescue operations continue amidst challenging conditions, families and local communities remain on edge, eagerly waiting for information about their loved ones in this crisis.
