In a statement sent to journalists and posted on Telegram, the separatist militant group confirmed that civilian passengers, including women, children, the elderly, and Baloch citizens, had been safely released and were given a secure route to safety.
How the train was hijacked?The authorities have yet to comment on the exact details of the hijacking. However, as per several news reports, sources and unnamed officials have provided some information about how the attack on the train was carried out.
The Jaffar Express, a passenger train, was stopped by armed militants at around 1:00 pm in the rural Sibi district, near a station where it was scheduled to stop.
As the train was coming to a halt, around six armed men opened fire. According to officials, at least six military personnel were killed in the attack.
The Baloch militant group stated that gunmen had “bombed the railway track” and taken control of the train in Sibi after wounding the driver.Sibi district is a mountainous area of Balochistan, bordering Afghanistan and Iran.
The train was travelling from Quetta to Peshawar, and had departed from Quetta at 9:00 am. It was travelling between Pehro Kunri and Gadalar when the hijack took place. The journey from Quetta to Peshawar usually lasts more than 30 hours.
Controller Railways Muhammad Kashif confirmed that the train, consisting of nine coaches and carrying about 500 passengers, was stopped by armed militants near Tunnel No. 8.
There are 17 tunnels in this area along the railway line, and due to the difficult terrain, the train’s speed is often slow.
Current status
In a statement, the BLA said it had successfully repelled a ground assault by the Pakistani military following the hijacking of the passenger train. “After intense clashes, Pakistani ground troops were forced to retreat, but airstrikes from helicopters and drones continue unabated,” the group stated.
The BLA issued a final warning, stating that if the aerial bombardment does not stop immediately, all 100+ hostages will be executed within the next hour.
The BLA also stated that it holds “over 100 enemy personnel” in custody. They warned that the Pakistani military still has a chance to halt the airstrikes and save their men, or else the full responsibility for the execution of the hostages will fall on the Pakistani military.
