Pak Train Hijack Updates | Army says operation against terrorists has ended, efforts on to eliminate any threat

16 terrorists killed, 104 passengers rescued in train attack

At least 16 terrorists were killed and 104 passengers rescued by the security forces after Baloch militants hijacked a passenger train in a tunnel in Pakistan's restive Balochistan province on Tuesday, security officials said.

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Security forces practising caution because of the lives involved, says state minister

Source: X/Geo News

Most hostages were women and children; militants had blown up track to stop train

Source: X/Geo News

Who are the Pakistani Baloch separatist militants the behind train hijacking?

The BLA is the strongest of a number of insurgent groups long operating in the area bordering Afghanistan and Iran, a mineral-rich region that is home to Beijing's investment in Gwadar deep water port and other projects.

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UN chief condemns hijacking of train in Pakistan, calls for immediate release of hostages

UN Secretary-General Antonio has strongly condemned the hijacking of a train in Pakistan’s Balochistan province and voiced concern about persons taken hostage, calling for their immediate release.

The UN Chief stressed that attacks against civilians are unacceptable.

“The Secretary-General strongly condemns the hijacking of a train in Pakistan’s Balochistan province,” a statement issued by his spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said.

Guterres is deeply concerned about the persons taken hostage and calls for their immediate release, the statement added.

Suspected Baloch gunmen opened fire at a passenger train in Pakistan's restive Balochistan on Tuesday. (PTI)

Latest visuals from Pakistan as rescue ops continue

At least 27 terrorists killed, 155 hostages rescued as per latest update

Amid ongoing rescue operations, news agency AFP, citing security sources, reported that at least 27 terorists had been killed thus far and 155 hostages of the 450-odd people being held have been rescued.

As siege continues, Pakistan launches 'full scale' op to rescue remaining hostages

Pakistani security forces on Wednesday launched a "full-scale" operation on to rescue the remaining passengers taken hostage by militants, news agency AFP reported.

Rescued hostages recount terrifying ordeal

Some of the rescued passengers also claimed that the attackers told them that they were releasing Baloch, women, children and elderly people. However, government officials claimed they rescued over 100 of them.

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Suicide bombers reportedly on board, some hostages shot dead

Attackers wearing suicide bombs were sitting next to passengers taken hostage after militants took over a train in southwest Pakistan, sources said on Wednesday, complicating rescue efforts a day after the country's first such hijacking.

The separatist militants blew up a railway track and opened fire on the Jaffar Express on Tuesday as it travelled from Quetta, Balochistan's capital city, to Peshawar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Pakistani forces have rescued 155 passengers, and the government said a security operation was under way to free dozens still held hostage, without specifying the exact number.

Several of those rescued were brought to Quetta early Wednesday, escorted by security forces, where their relatives were waiting for them.

"People were attacked ... passengers were injured and some passengers died," said Muhammad Ashraf, who was on the train.

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Everything you need to know about the attack and the hostage situation as of now

Pakistani security forces are carrying out a rescue operation to free dozens of passengers taken hostage by separatist militants who hijacked their train in the southwest of the country on Tuesday.

Here is a look at what happened, and the current situation.

The train

The Jaffar Express was heading to the city of Peshawar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province from Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province, with 425 people on board when it was attacked.

The passengers included personnel from the Pakistani army and other security forces who were travelling on leave.

The attack

Militants blew up the railway tracks and opened fire on the train, killing the driver and trapping the locomotive inside a tunnel before taking control of it.

Some of those rescued said they crouched low when the firing started, while others spoke of passengers who had been injured or killed.

Rescue operation

Security forces have launched a massive operation to free the hostages, deploying special forces and helicopters, and 155 passengers have been rescued so far.

Some 27 militants have also been killed, sources say.

However, attackers wearing suicide bombs, who have been seated next to some of the hostages, have made the rescue efforts tougher.

The demands

Ethnic armed group Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), which has claimed responsibility for the attack, has demanded the release of Baloch political prisoners, activists, and missing persons who it says were abducted by the military, within 48 hours.

It has threatened to start executing the hostages if the government does not fulfil the demand.

Government response

Pakistan's prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, has condemned the attack and said security officials are "repelling" the militants.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has called the attackers "enemies" of Pakistan and vowed to foil their conspiracy to destabilise the nation. (Reuters)

Latest visuals from Pakistan as rescue ops continue

At least 100 empty coffins brought to Quetta rail station

Nearly 100 empty coffins were brought to the Quetta railway station where more people who were aboard the Jaffer Express were expected to arrive, a report in Reuters said.

Pakistan Railways has suspended all operations from Punjab and Sindh provinces to Balochistan until security agencies confirm the area is safe, local media reported on Wednesday. (Reuters)

190 hostages freed, 30 militants killed in Pakistan train hijacking

Security forces rescued 190 passengers from a hijacked train, killing 30 Baloch militants in Pakistan's restive Balochistan, as they continued to battle heavily-armed insurgents for a second day on Wednesday.

The Jaffar Express, carrying some 400 passengers in nine coaches, was going from Quetta to Peshawar when militants derailed it using explosives and hijacked it. (PTI)

Terrorists who hijacked train in touch with their handlers, mastermind in Afghanistan: Pakistan's Junior Interior minister tells local media

Militants who hijacked Pakistan train are in touch with their handlers, main handler in Afghanistan - Pakistan's junior interior minister has told Geo TV. Security operation has been conducted very carefully to avoid harm to hostages, he said. (Reuters)

Baloch Army has sent out a fresh ultimatum to Pakistan, saying they have only 24 hours left to exchange prisoners

"Now, a day has passed and the occupying state has only 24 hours left. If Pakistan does not make practical progress on the prisoner exchange within the given ultimatum, all hostages will be presented before the Baloch National Court. There, they will be tried on charges of state atrocities, colonial occupation, genocide, exploitation and involvement in war crimes in Balochistan. This trial will be prompt, impartial and transparent and if found guilty, the criminals will be punished according to Baloch national laws," a statement by Jeeyand Baloch, spokesperson for the Baloch Liberation Army said.

Terrorists say they have killed 50 hostages in response to 'enemy's military aggression'

Baloch Army militants have said that they have killed 50 hostages since hijacking Jaffar Express train.

In direct retaliation to Pakistan’s persistent aggression, obstinacy, and failure to engage in a serious prisoner exchange, the BLA has executed 50 additional captive enemy personnel within the past hour. These individuals were found guilty by the Baloch National Court of war crimes, ethnic cleansing, enforced disappearances, resource exploitation, and acts of state terrorism in Balochistan.

Earlier, in response to last night’s Pakistani drone strike, 10 enemy personnel were executed. Additionally, in today’s clashes, another 10 Pakistani soldiers were eliminated, while 30 were killed in combat yesterday. This brings the total number of eliminated enemy personnel to over 100, while approximately 150 more hostages remain under BLA custody., the latest from the BLA said.

Security personnel with rescued passengers in Pakistan, coffins being sent out to the location where Jaffar Express is hijacked

'Such cowardly acts will not shake Pakistan’s resolve for peace': Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif

Pakistan Army spokesman says 21 passengers, 4 soldiers killed in Balochistan train attack; 33 militants dead

Pakistan army says operation against militants who hijacked train has ended

A military operation against militants who hijacked a train carrying hundreds of passengers in southwest Pakistan has ended, a spokesman for the army said late on Wednesday.

Some 33 militants and 21 hostages were killed during the operation, the spokesman said in a television broadcast. Close to 30 hostages have been rescued, officials said. (Reuters)

Area and train were still being cleared as per standard operating procedures, Pakistan Army official says

Giving an account of the military operation, Lt Gen Ahmad Sharif said that first, snipers neutralized the suicide bombers, followed by a step-by-step clearance of each train compartment, eliminating all terrorists present. He said that no passengers were harmed during the clearance operation.

Sharif stated that all terrorists present at the site had been eliminated, but the area and train were still being cleared as per standard operating procedures by the bomb disposal squad.

He said that efforts were also underway to gather passengers who had fled in different directions during the operation. (PTI)