Pakistani security forces have successfully rescued 155 passengers from a hijacked train in the south-western province of Balochistan, while efforts continue to free the remaining hostages, officials confirmed on Wednesday.
The train, which was carrying approximately 450 passengers, including army personnel and their families, was attacked on Tuesday afternoon by more than 100 gunmen belonging to the separatist Baloch Liberation Army (BLA).
“A full-scale military operation is underway in which 27 terrorists have been killed,” security sources reported.
A security official, who requested anonymity, explained the militants’ tactics: “Militants were using the passengers as shields and they have placed suicide bombers wearing explosive vests dangerously close to the hostages.”
Pakistani elite commandos, supported by airstrikes, launched a large-scale operation in the remote Sibi district to regain control of the train. Local media sources reported that at least 10 individuals, including the train driver, lost their lives in the firefight.
The exact number of casualties among soldiers, passengers, and militants remains unclear due to ongoing clashes.
The BLA, which has a history of targeting trains and buses carrying security personnel, claimed responsibility for the attack. The group has demanded a prisoner exchange and issued threats against the hostages if the military operation continues.
Violence in Balochistan has intensified in recent years, coinciding with the second phase of a major infrastructure project linking China and Pakistan. The BLA and local political groups accuse both governments of exploiting the region’s resources through coercive policies.
