16 Baloch terrorists killed, 104 passengers rescued in Pakistan train hijack

Separatist militants from the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) targetted a train in Pakistan's Balochistan province carrying around 500 passengers, claiming to have taken over 214 hostages and killed at least 30 security personnel.

In Short

• Baloch Liberation Army opens fire on train carrying around 500 people
• Group claimed 214 taken hostage, 30 Pak military personnel killed
• BLA threatens to execute all hostages if military intervention continues

A passenger train carrying approximately 500 people was hijacked by insurgents in Pakistan's volatile Balochistan province on Tuesday. The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), which claimed responsibility for the attack, said its fighters opened fire on the Jaffar Express and had taken 214 hostages.

The group further claimed that 30 Pakistani military personnel were killed in the assault. In a chilling ultimatum, the separatist outfit threatened to execute all hostages unless security forces withdrew from the area.

So far, Pakistani security forces have rescued around 104 passengers from the hijacked train, news agency PTI reported, quoting a government spokesperson.

The militants are seeking the "immediate and unconditional release of Baloch political prisoners, forcibly disappeared persons and national resistance activists", in exchange for the hostages and set a 48-hour deadline for the same.

According to local media reports, at least 16 militants have also been killed by security forces in retaliatory action.

The Peshawar-bound Jaffar Express was attacked after it began its journey from Quetta in Balochistan and that attempts were on to establish contact with the people on board. The train was trapped in a tunnel after the attack.

The militants, in a statement, claimed to have taken control of the train after derailing it following an intense shoot-out at a remote location. The Baloch officials or the railways are yet to confirm the casualties and the status of the hostages.

Track live coverage of Balochistan train hijack here

A massive counter-operation is underway, reportedly involving heavy firing and aerial bombing. However, the militants claimed to have completely repelled the army's ground offensive, forcing them to retreat.

"Baloch Liberation Army commanders have completely repulsed the ground operation of the occupying army after capturing the Jaffar Express. After fierce clashes, Pakistani ground troops were forced to retreat. However, the bombing by Pakistani helicopters and drones is still ongoing," the militants said.

According to the railway officials, no contact has been established with the 450 passengers and staff aboard the 9-coach of the train. Initial reports said multiple travellers were wounded in the attack.

The Pakistan Army has also rushed a relief train with reinforcements of soldiers and doctors to the incident spot, according to sources. Ambulances were also dispatched, but access to the site was not easy due to the mountainous and rugged terrain.

The Jaffar Express was travelling from Quetta in Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province to Peshawar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa when it came under fire, and it was stopped by armed men in Tunnel No 8, according to news agency PTI.

The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), a militant separatist group seeking autonomy for the region, claimed that the hostages they took are Pakistani military personnel and members of other security agencies -- police, Anti-Terrorism Force (ATF), and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

The BLA warned, "if the occupying forces attempt any military operation, the consequences will be severe. All hundreds of hostages will be executed, and the responsibility for this bloodshed will lie solely with the occupying forces".

The militants, in the initial statement, claimed that they have released women, children, and Baloch passengers, ensuring that all remaining hostages are serving personnel of the Pakistani forces.

The attack was led by Majeed Brigade of the BLA, along with Special Tactical Operations Squad (STOS) and Fateh Squad-specialised units, according to the militants.

India Today’s Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) team traced the probable location of the attack using publicly available data. The video shows the train's last known stop at Sibi before it was attacked somewhere between this station and the next, Aab-e-Gum, near Tunnel 8. These locations are visible in the video below.

Pakistan's interior minister, Mohsin Naqvi, condemned the attack and said the government would not make any concessions to "beasts who fire on innocent passengers".

The provincial government has imposed emergency measures, and all institutions have been mobilised to deal with the situation, government spokesperson Shahid Rind said.

The attack comes days after various Baloch resistance groups advocating for Balochistan's independence from Pakistan announced a new intensified offensive against Pakistan and China and announced a unified outfit named the Baloch National Army.

Balochistan, which borders Iran and Afghanistan, has been grappling with years of insurgency and has recently witnessed several terrorist attacks. The insurgent groups seek the independence of oil- and mineral-rich Balochistan from Pakistan. The ethnic Baloch minority says they face discrimination and exploitation by the Pakistani government.

(With inputs from Shivani Sharma)