Armed fighters in Pakistan’s Balochistan province have launched an attack on a train carrying hundreds of travelers, reportedly taking hostages. The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) is purported to have fired on the Jaffar Express Train as it journeyed from Quetta to Peshawar. According to a statement from the separatist party, the BLA had bombed the track beforehand and then overrun the train in a distant region of Sibi. The organization asserted that the train was under their control. Pakistani law enforcement has confirmed at least three individuals wounded, including the train’s driver. Military airstrikes have been deployed to the scene to rescue the hostages, as indicated by the police. The Balochistan government’s spokesperson stated that there were accounts of “intense firing” at the train, and it is apparently stuck near a mountain-covered tunnel. The BLA has threatened “severe consequences” if a rescue attempt is made. They have carried out a long-standing revolt for independence and have been responsible for many deadly attacks, directed primarily at police stations, railways, and highways. Both Pakistani authorities and various Western countries designating the BLA as a terrorist group. Quetta’s railway controller, Muhammad Kashif, informed that there were 400-450 passengers booked on the train, but the number of hostages has not been made public. Railway officials also stated that some women and children disembarked from the train and began walking towards Sibi, though they didn’t have the exact count. Meanwhile, families of passengers are trying to obtain more details at Quetta railway station. Imran Ashraf, the son of one passenger who boarded the train on Tuesday morning, claimed he has not been able to reach his father. Officials have confirmed that there is no internet or mobile network coverage in the area. Balochistan is Pakistan’s largest province and boasts the most natural resources, yet it remains relatively undveloped.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5y2q5v9249o