The Pakistan army reports that the train has released 300 captives.
More than 300 captives were released by Pakistan’s army Tuesday from a passenger train that militants had taken over in the province of Balochistan. Thirty-three insurgents were slain during the operation, according to the military spokesperson.
Before the operation started, the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) executed four military men and 21 civilian captives, according to the military spokeswoman. The BBC has not confirmed these figures. The military is still searching the region to ensure no lingering dangers.
The army spokeswoman stated that the train had about 440 people on board when it was assaulted.
According to security sources, some of the extremists may have escaped the train and taken an undetermined number of people into the nearby hilly region.
Pakistani army says 300 hostages freed from train.
According to the spokeswoman, the military is searching for the passengers who managed to get away and run away into the surrounding region during the strike. It is uncertain how many passengers are missing.
The Pakistan government has categorized BLA as a terrorist organization together with other western nations, including the US and the UK. One of the rebel organizations calling for more autonomy or independence for Pakistan’s largest province, Balochistan, is the BLA.
They charge Islamabad with neglecting and abusing the province’s abundant mineral wealth. They have previously attacked trains, military camps, and train stations, but this is the first time they have taken over a train.
According to officials, at least 100 people on the train were security force personnel.
According to local sources, the militants had threatened to kill hostages if police did not free Baloch political detainees within 48 hours.
The militants fired on the train close to a mountain tunnel and detonated a portion of the tracks during the assault.
Pakistan train passengers describe ‘doomsday scenes ‘ after hijack.
Ishaq Noor, a passenger, told the BBC, “We held our breath throughout the firing, not knowing what would happen next.” Witnesses also described the “doomsday scenes” that occurred on board the train as the attack continued.
Due to the rural area’s lack of internet and mobile connectivity, officials had trouble contacting passengers during the attack.
Some passengers who were able to get off the train late Tuesday night had to walk for almost four hours to the next train station.
Muhammad Ashraf was among them, visiting his family in Lahore from Quetta.
“We reached the station with great difficulty, because we were tired and there were children and women with us,” he told the BBC.
To free the hostages, hundreds of soldiers and helicopters were sent in. By Wednesday morning, almost 100 passengers had been released.
The duration of the hijacking exceeded thirty hours. All information about the attack and the following rescue effort has been strictly guarded. According to a military spokeswoman, those responsible for the attack will face consequences.
