Over 100 Hostages Rescued From Hijacked Train, 16 Balochistan Liberation Army Rebels Killed (Screengrab) | X/@BBKNewsEnglish/@MalikAliRaza
Islamabad: More Than 20 Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) militants have been killed so far by Pakistan security forces after they hijacked a passenger train in a tunnel in Pakistan’s Balochistan province on Tuesday. The Jaffar Express, carrying around 400 passengers in nine bogies, was travelling from Quetta to Peshawar when the armed BLA fighters intercepted it in a tunnel near the mountainous terrain of Gudalar and Piru Kunri on Tuesday afternoon.
The gun battle is still going on between the BLA militants and the security forces. Over 100 passengers have reportedly been rescued.
Latest Updates:
– The passengers rescued, including 58 men, 31 women and 15 children, have been sent to Mach (a town in Kachhi district in Balochistan province of Pakistan) by another train, reported news agency PTI citing a source.
– Sixteen BLA fighters have been killed so far.
– The other militants have reportedly taken some of the passengers into the mountains with the security forces pursuing them in the dark.
– “The militants have now formed small groups to try to escape in the dark, but the security forces have surrounded the tunnel and the remaining passengers will also be rescued soon,” the source said.
– The security forces had earlier managed to rescue 80 passengers, including 43 men, 26 women and 11 children, said Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind.
– Intense firing and explosions near the tunnel are reported by the Pakistani media.
– Pakistan Railways have set up an emergency desk at the Peshawar and Quetta Railway stations so that re;atives and friends of the passengers could get an information about them.
– Notably, Pakistan Railways had resumed train services to Peshawar from Quetta after a suspension of more than a month-and-a-half.
– Rana Muhammad Dilawar, a district police officer in the area where the train was stopped, said the security forces had surrounded the area, but there were reports that the militants had taken some women and children as hostages.
– Four to five senior government officials are also present at the spot where the rescue operation is currently underway.
The Balochistan Liberation Army is a militant group active in Pakistan’s Balochistan province. It was reportedly founded in 2000 with the aim of separating Balochistan from Pakistan.
