Pakistan train siege: Security forces free 155 hostages as Balochistan crisis continues

Pakistan security forces rescued 155 hostages and killed 27 militants.

Pakistan’s security forces rescued 155 hostages and killed 27 militants on Wednesday as the train siege in Balochistan province entered its second day. According to security sources, the operation is ongoing, with efforts continuing to secure the remaining passengers.

The crisis began on Tuesday afternoon when separatist militants bombed a railway track and stormed a train carrying more than 450 passengers in Sibi district. The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), a separatist group behind recent attacks in the province, claimed responsibility for the assault.

Security forces launched a major rescue operation, but efforts were complicated by the presence of suicide bombers among the militants. "Security forces have safely rescued 155 passengers... 27 terrorists have been eliminated," a security source stated. However, the exact number of passengers still held hostage remains unclear.

Full-Scale Operation Launched

Officials had earlier announced plans for a "full-scale operation" to free the remaining hostages. The attack had already resulted in three deaths, including the train driver, a police officer, and a soldier.

Security forces faced challenges operating at night, with concerns about civilian safety. "We are taking precautions to avoid any actions that could endanger civilian hostages," an official said. Reports indicate that militants had strategically positioned suicide bombers among the hostages.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi confirmed that over 100 hostages, including men, women, and children, had been freed by Tuesday night. Survivors described harrowing escapes, with some walking for hours through mountainous terrain to reach safety. "I can't find the words to describe how we managed to escape. It was terrifying," said Muhammad Bilal, who had been traveling with his mother on the Jafar Express train.

Targeting Outsiders

Eyewitnesses recounted how the attackers sorted through identity cards to identify passengers from outside Balochistan. "They came and checked IDs and service cards and shot two soldiers in front of me and took the other four to, I don't know where," said one survivor who walked four hours to the nearest train station. "Those who were Punjabis were taken away by the terrorists."

Around 80 freed passengers were transported under heavy security to Quetta, while security forces continued their operation against the militants.

Rising Violence in Balochistan

Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest but most impoverished province, has been the site of a decades-long insurgency. The BLA claims that the region’s natural resources are being exploited by outsiders, fueling targeted attacks on non-Baloch Pakistanis. In February, BLA militants executed seven Punjabi travelers after removing them from a bus.

With the train siege still unfolding, Pakistan’s security forces remain engaged in a high-stakes battle to rescue the remaining hostages and neutralize the militants behind the attack.

(With Inputs From AFP)