Pakistan security forces rescue 155 from hijacked train in Balochistan; 27 terrorists killed

Karachi/Islamabad: Karachi/Islamabad, Mar 12 (PTI) Pakistani security forces killed at least 16 militants and rescued 104 passengers from a train hijacked by Baloch insurgents in the troubled Balochistan province as they continued to battle insurgents for a second on Wednesday.

The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) later claimed claimed responsibility for the attack.

The source said that the rescued passengers, including 58 men, 31 women and 15 children, had been sent to Mach (a town in the Kachhi district in the Balochistan province of Pakistan) by another train.

Pakistan Railways had resumed train services to Peshawar from Quetta after a suspension of more than a month and a half.

The BLA claimed it seized control of the train by derailing it. The group said it has killed six security personnel and taken over 100 people in custody, including security personnel. In a statement, the BLA warned that if the Pakistan military launches an operation, "all hostages will be executed". The group is banned in Pakistan, the UK and the US. Balochistan has witnessed an uptick in terrorist attacks over the past year. In November 2024, at least 26 people were killed and 62 injured after a suicide blast ripped through a Quetta Railway Station. Balochistan, bordering Iran and Afghanistan, is home to a long-running violent insurgency. Baloch insurgent groups frequently carry out attacks targeting security personnel, government projects and the USD 60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects in the oil and mineral-rich province.