Over a hundred train passengers were rescued after being held hostage by armed insurgents in Pakistan’s Balochistan region, according to security forces on Wednesday. The Jafar Express train was attacked by Baloch insurgents while traveling through mountainous terrain on Tuesday. Approximately 155 hostages were released, with an ongoing operation to rescue the remaining ones. The freed hostages reported walking for hours to reach safety and were forced to leave behind separated relatives.

The attack on the Jafar Express involved explosives on the railway track in a remote area of Balochistan, followed by insurgents firing on the train and taking over 450 people hostage. The train was en route from Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province, to Peshawar. The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the attack, which occurred around 1:00 p.m. (0800 GMT) in the Bolan/Kachhi region. The insurgents stated that they were holding 214 hostages and threatened to execute them.

It is unclear how many insurgents or security forces were killed, but authorities stated that a full-scale military operation is underway. Helicopters and special forces were deployed during the operation. The insurgents forced hostages to sit near individuals wearing suicide vests, using them as shields.

The group demanded the release of Baloch political prisoners, activists, and people abducted by the Pakistani military in exchange for the hostages. The Pakistani government refused to retreat or make concessions, stating that they would not give in to “beasts who fire on innocent passengers.”

The Balochistan insurgents,

Source: https://www.dw.com/en/pakistan-many-hostages-freed-after-balochistan-train-attack/a-71887048?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf