In a dramatic rescue operation Pakistani security forces stormed the hijacked Jaffar Express killing 33 Baloch separatist militants and freeing hundreds of hostages. The tense day-long standoff ended with 21 passengers and four security personnel dead, as commandos battled insurgents wearing suicide vests.
The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), which claimed responsibility for the attack, had blown up railway tracks and fired rockets at the moving train on Tuesday before taking 214 hostages. The militants demanded the release of Baloch prisoners, warning that hostages would be executed if their demands were not met within 48 hours.
As special forces launched their final assault, heavily armed insurgents sat among passengers, prepared for a suicide attack. Military spokesperson Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry confirmed that the operation was executed with precision, ensuring that no civilians were harmed in the final phase.
The Jaffar Express, carrying 440 passengers, was en route from Quetta to Peshawar when it was attacked in Balochistan, a region long plagued by insurgency. The BLA, the largest militant group in the area, has ramped up its offensive against Pakistan’s military, demanding a greater share of the region’s mineral wealth.
Junior interior minister Talal Chaudhry stated that the military, air force, and special forces were mobilized to neutralize around 80 attackers. The troops first eliminated the suicide bombers before securing each train carriage in a final, decisive push.
This latest attack highlights the increasingly bold tactics of Baloch militants, posing a growing security challenge for Pakistan.
