Islamabad, Mar 11 (UNI) Gunmen attacked the Jaffer Express passenger train in Kachhi district of Pakistan’s Balochistan province on Tuesday, injuring several people and prompting a security operation in the area, media reports said.
The assault occurred near Ab-e-Gum area of Mach Town, where around six armed men opened fire on the train, spreading panic among passengers, the Express Tribune reported.
Meanwhile, the Baloch Liberation Army claimed responsibility for carrying out what it called a “strategic operation” and claimed that its activists have seized control of the Jaffar Express by derailing it. During the resistance, six military personnel were killed, while over 100 passengers have been taken into BLA custody.
Among the hostages are active-duty personnel from the Pakistani military, police, Anti-Terrorism Force (ATF), and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI)—all of whom were traveling to Punjab on leave, the BLA claimed and warned that if the any military tried to intervene, all hostages will be executed.
Pakistani officials said rescue teams and security forces have reached the scene, and an operation is underway to track down the assailants.
Railway officials confirmed that the train’s driver sustained serious injuries, and an emergency relief train has been dispatched to assist.
Following the attack, authorities halted Karachi-bound Bolan Mail at Sibi, along with the Peshawar-Quetta Jaffer Express, as a precautionary measure. The Sibi hospital has declared an emergency, anticipating further casualties.
