A day after rebels seized a train in southwestern Pakistan’s Balochistan province, the military has confirmed that all hostages have been freed in a major rescue operation. However, the siege left 28 soldiers dead, an army official told AFP on Wednesday.
The attack, claimed by the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), unfolded on Tuesday afternoon when the rebel group stormed a train carrying more than 450 passengers in a remote frontier district of Balochistan. The militants detonated explosives on the track before swarming the carriages, capturing 346 hostages.
“During the operation, 346 hostages were freed, and over 30 terrorists were killed,” the official said, adding that 27 of the victims were off-duty soldiers travelling on the train, while one soldier died in the rescue mission.
The BLA, a separatist group that has escalated its attacks against security forces and non-Baloch ethnic groups, released footage of the assault, showing the explosion followed by gunmen emerging from mountain hideouts to seize control of the train.
Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest but least developed province, has long been the epicentre of insurgencies led by separatists demanding greater autonomy and a larger share of its natural resources. The region remains a security challenge for Islamabad, with recent militant activities targeting both state forces and infrastructure projects.
Pakistan’s military has vowed to continue operations against insurgents, reaffirming its commitment to maintaining stability in the province.
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