Pakistan’s military has successfully freed 190 passengers who were taken hostage during a two-day siege of a train in the mountainous southwest, security sources reported on Wednesday.
The train, carrying over 450 passengers, was captured by separatist militants in a remote district of Balochistan, a region bordering Afghanistan and Iran. An unknown number of hostages remain in the hands of the militants.
“So far, 190 passengers have been rescued, and 30 militants have been killed,” security sources told AFP. The military has been exercising extreme caution, particularly due to the presence of women, children, and suicide bombers among the captives. The operation to neutralize the remaining militants is ongoing.
The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the attack, releasing a video showing an explosion on the tracks followed by militants storming the train. The BLA is known for its attacks in Balochistan, fueled by grievances over the exploitation of the region’s natural resources.
“Some militants have fled, taking an unknown number of hostages into the mountains,” a security official stated. Passengers who managed to escape by walking for hours through rugged terrain recounted their terrifying ordeal.
Babar Masih, a 38-year-old Christian laborer, described how militants released the hostages after pleading from the women onboard. “They told us to get out and not look back. As we ran, I noticed many others running alongside us,” he told AFP.
Muhammad Bilal, who had been traveling with his mother, recalled the terrifying moments of their escape. “I can’t find the words to describe how we managed to escape. It was terrifying,” he said.
In Quetta, paramilitary forces prepared empty coffins to be sent to the site of the attack, as the siege’s full toll is yet to be determined.
