In Pakistan, the "Balochistan Liberation Army" separatists, numbering nearly 400 people, attacked a passenger train. The militants are threatening to kill the passengers they have taken hostage unless their demands are met, claiming they are making.
The attack was carried out on a train belonging to Jaffar Express company. It was traveling from Quetta city to Rawalpindi, and the incident occurred in the southwestern province of Balochistan.
As a result of the militants' actions, the train's movement was halted. According to Reuters, the train is currently standing inside a tunnel. AFP, citing police officials, reported that the train was stopped before it could enter the tunnel in a mountainous area.
According to the police, explosions and gunfire were heard near the area where the incident took place. Local authorities report that the area where the train was stopped lacks mobile communication and internet.
A statement from the Balochistan Liberation Army indicated that the militants have taken hostages among the passengers and forces that attempted to resist the attack. They declared that they would kill the hostages if the police and military do not retreat.
The authorities have not yet officially confirmed the hostages. According to the police, the train driver was injured during the firing.
Government officials stated that additional security forces have been sent to the area of the attack. A representative of the Balochistan government revealed to the Dawn news agency that a fierce shootout is ongoing between the military and militants.
Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has strongly condemned the attack on the train, emphasizing that the government "will not give impunity to the savages who fired at innocent passengers".
It is known that the "Balochistan Liberation Army" is a separatist group formed in the early 1970s, demanding recognition of Balochistan's independence and full control of all the region's resources. It has been designated as a terrorist organization by the US, Britain, and the European Union.
Last year, BLA militants carried out a number of horrifying attacks in the Balochistan province.
In November 2024, militants blew up a train at the Quetta railway station, resulting in dozens of deaths and many more injuries.
Abdullah Sayyid
