The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), a separatist militant group, has claimed responsibility for hijacking the Jaffar Express, a passenger train in Pakistan, taking over 400 hostages.
The incident occurred as the train was traveling from Quetta to Peshawar. The BLA stated that six Pakistani military personnel were killed during the hijacking.
In an official statement shared on social media, the BLA warned that any military intervention to rescue the hostages would be met with lethal force. “Any military incursion will be met with an equally forceful response,” said the BLA spokesperson.
The hijackers reportedly blew up the railway tracks, forcing the train to stop, before boarding it. Security forces have arrived at the scene in the Mushqaf area of the Bolan district, Balochistan, according to railway officials.
The Balochistan government has imposed emergency measures and mobilized all institutions to address the crisis. The BLA has been involved in a decades-long insurgency, seeking independence for Balochistan from Pakistan. The province, though rich in gas and mineral resources, has been a hotbed for frequent attacks against the Pakistani government, army, and Chinese interests.
The BLA is the largest ethnic insurgent group in the region, accusing the Pakistani government of exploiting Balochistan’s natural resources. Balochistan, despite being the largest province by area in Pakistan, is the least populated and is home to the strategically significant Gwadar port.
