Armed militants from the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) attacked the Jaffar Express train in Pakistan’s Balochistan province, injuring at least three people and taking an unknown number of passengers hostage, military sources have confirmed.
The attack occurred as the train traveled from Quetta to Peshawar, with militants first bombing the tracks before storming the carriages in the remote Sibi district. The separatist group later claimed to have taken control of the train and issued a warning of “severe consequences” should security forces attempt a rescue.
Local authorities reported “intense firing” at the train, which remains stuck near a tunnel surrounded by mountains, according to the AFP news agency. A senior army official disclosed that over 100 military personnel were on board at the time of the attack. The exact number of hostages remains unclear, as officials struggle to communicate with those still on the train.
Pakistani security forces have been deployed to the scene, including helicopters, in a bid to rescue the hostages. Meanwhile, families of passengers are desperately seeking information at the Quetta railway station. Muhammad Ashraf, whose father was traveling on the train to Lahore, told BBC Urdu that he has been unable to contact him since the attack.
Authorities report that some passengers, including women and children, have managed to disembark and are making their way towards the city of Sibi. Railway officials in Quetta stated that a group of at least 60 passengers, mainly locals from Balochistan, reached the nearest railway station, Panir, safely.
The BLA has been engaged in a decades-long insurgency, seeking independence from Pakistan. It has previously launched numerous deadly attacks targeting police stations, railway lines, and highways. Pakistan, along with several Western countries including the UK and US, has designated the BLA as a terrorist organization.
As security forces prepare to respond, concerns grow over the fate of those still held hostage. The attack marks another escalation in the ongoing conflict between Pakistani authorities and Baloch separatists, further destabilizing the region.
