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Balochistan Train Hijacking Ends in Deadly Siege

Pakistani security forces rescue over 300 hostages after a 30-hour standoff with Balochistan Liberation Army militants.

Soldiers board a relief train headed to Bolan, where a passenger train was attacked by separatist militants, at a railway station in Mach, Balochistan, Pakistan.
The Pakistan Army on Thursday claimed that it killed 10 militants suspected to be affiliated to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)
Rescue workers transport a coffin containing the body of a victim from a passenger train attacked by insurgents, upon arrival at a railway station in Much, Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province, Thursday March 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
A paramilitary soldier stands guard at a railway station in the Sibi district of southwestern Balochistan province during a security operation against militants a day after they hijacked a passenger train.

Overview

  • The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) hijacked the Jaffar Express in the Bolan region, holding 440 passengers hostage in a 30-hour standoff.
  • The attack resulted in 25 deaths, including 21 civilians and 4 security personnel, while all 33 militants were killed in a military operation.
  • Survivors described the harrowing ordeal, including executions of passengers based on region of origin and limited access to water during captivity.
  • The Pakistani military deployed elite commandos and coordinated air and ground operations to retake the train and rescue hostages.
  • The BLA claimed responsibility for the attack, disputing the official account and alleging that hostages were released by the group rather than rescued.