Pakistan Military Ends Train Standoff: 21 Hostages and Four Troops Killed
Quetta, Pakistan – Pakistani security forces successfully ended a train hijacking by separatist militants on Wednesday, killing all 33 attackers after a tense day-long standoff. The military confirmed that 21 hostages and four security personnel lost their lives during the operation.
On Tuesday, militants from the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) ambushed the Jaffar Express, which was traveling from Quetta, Balochistan, to Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The attackers blew up railway tracks and fired rockets at the train carrying 440 passengers, leading to a hostage crisis.
Military spokesperson Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry stated that special forces carried out the final operation with precision, ensuring that no civilians were harmed during the last phase.
“Today, we freed a large number of people, including women and children,” Chaudhry said.
Earlier in the crisis, the BLA had claimed to have executed 50 passengers and held 214 hostages, mainly security personnel. The group threatened to begin executions unless the government met its demand for the release of Baloch political prisoners and missing persons within 48 hours.
The BLA, the largest of several ethnic armed groups fighting for greater control over Balochistan’s mineral resources, has intensified its attacks in recent months, using new tactics to maximize casualties and target Pakistan’s military.
Junior Interior Minister Talal Chaudhry told Geo TV that the militants were wearing suicide vests and were positioned among the hostages, complicating the military’s response. He initially estimated that 70-80 attackers were involved in the hijacking.
Hundreds of troops, including air force and special forces units, were deployed for the operation. The final phase involved eliminating suicide bombers before troops moved from carriage to carriage to neutralize the remaining militants.
Muhammad Ashraf, a 75-year-old passenger, recounted the attack:
“I heard a loud explosion in the mountains, and suddenly, gunfire erupted. We lay on the floor while armed men stormed the train, checking our identities.”
Authorities said the militants were specifically searching for soldiers and security personnel among the passengers.
Government officials confirmed that 190 passengers had been rescued earlier, with over 50 taken to Quetta to reunite with their families. However, tensions flared as relatives of the hostages demanded accountability.
One distraught woman, whose son was among those held hostage, confronted provincial minister Mir Zahoor Buledi, asking:
“Why didn’t you stop the trains if they weren’t safe?”
Buledi assured the public that the government was working to enhance security measures in the region.
With the military operation concluded, questions remain about security lapses and the growing threat posed by separatist militants. The government has vowed to take stronger actions to prevent similar attacks in the future.
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