Pakistani militants attack train, killing and taking hostages

(CLO) The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) militant group in Pakistan bombed a railway track and opened fire on a passenger train in the southwest of the country on March 11, killing many people and taking dozens of hostages.

Police have not released an exact figure for the number of passengers detained, but the militants claim they are holding 214 people and have threatened to execute them if their demands are not met.

"The train is still stuck in place, and the gunmen are still holding passengers hostage," senior police officer Rana Dilawar said.

BLA rebels issue warning to Pakistani authorities. Photo: X

Security forces launched a large-scale rescue operation, involving helicopters and special forces. According to local sources, the train became stuck in a tunnel and the driver died from serious injuries.

The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) militant group said it had blown up the tracks and “quickly took control of the train”. It threatened to execute 10 people if the military operation continued.

The BLA has demanded that the Pakistani government release political prisoners, activists and missing persons within 48 hours. The group is willing to exchange prisoners but has also warned that if the military intervenes, it will "eliminate all hostages and completely destroy the ship".

The BLA said the hostages included soldiers and security personnel from the Pakistani army who were on leave.

Officer Dilawar said one group of militants had taken about 35 hostages to the mountain, while another group was still in control of the locomotive. He had previously said that more than 300 hostages were safe, but security forces later confirmed that only 104 had been rescued.

Special forces reported hearing an explosion near the tunnel and were still exchanging fire with militants in the mountainous terrain.

A security source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the death toll was high, including about 80 soldiers out of 425 passengers on board. Another source said 17 wounded people had been taken to hospital, 16 militants had been killed and security forces were hunting down the remaining militants.

"The operation will continue until the last terrorist is eliminated," said a security representative.

The BLA claimed to have suffered no casualties and claimed to have killed 30 Pakistani soldiers and shot down a drone. However, the Pakistani government has not confirmed this information.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the attack and said security forces were "pushing back" the militants.

The BLA claimed to have released women, children, elderly people and Baloch citizens, but warned that "if the army continues to intervene, all remaining hostages will be executed".

Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also condemned the attack on innocent civilians, praising the military for rescuing more than 100 passengers.

“Those who attacked innocent passengers are enemies of the country,” he said. “Hostile forces are plotting to destabilize Pakistan through acts of terrorism in Balochistan.”

The BLA is the largest separatist group in the region and has been fighting the Pakistani government for decades, accusing it of unfairly exploiting Balochistan's gas and mineral resources.

The region is frequently the scene of attacks targeting the government, military and Chinese interests in Pakistan.

Cao Phong (according to CNA, Reuters)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/phien-quan-pakistan-tan-cong-tau-hoa-kiet-hai-va-bat-nhieu-nguoi-lam-con-tin-post338099.html