A separatist group has brutally slaughtered 50 hostages after hijacking a train in Pakistan before 28 of them are reported to have been killed by the military
Train hijackers brutally murdered 50 hostages before they were killed by the military as a standoff ended in a bloodbath.
The insurgents wearing explosive-laden vests ambushed the train carrying more than 400 people in Pakistan yesterday. Reports are emerging that at least 28 attackers eliminated as well as the hostages.
There has been no official information given on the deaths a day after the separatists attacked the train in a tunnel in a remote part of southwestern Balochistan province.
The separatist Baloch Liberation Army claimed responsibility for the attack and spokesman Jeeyand Baloch had said the group was ready to free passengers if authorities agree to release jailed militants.
“Today, the enemy forces attempted an armed advance using heavy artillery and sophisticated weaponry, leading to intense clashes,’ the BLA said in a statement. “In direct retaliation to Pakistan’s persistent aggression… the BLA has executed 50 additional captive enemy personnel within the past hour.”
There has been no comment from the government on the claim that the group would release hostages in an exchange but this has rejected such demands in the past, and at least 30 militants were killed in initial exchanges of gunfire since Tuesday. By late Wednesday, security forces had rescued 190 of the 450 passengers who were initially on the train, according to three senior security officials.
Helicopters were backing up Pakistani forces in the rugged region, said spokesman Shahid Rind, describing the attack as “an act of terrorism.” It was the first time the BLA separatists had hijacked a train, though the group has attacked trains before.
The BLA regularly targets Pakistani security forces and has also in the past attacked civilians, including Chinese nationals working on multibillion-dollar projects related to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.
Pakistan hosts thousands of Chinese workers building major infrastructure projects, including ports and airports in Balochistan. Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said her country “will continue to firmly support Pakistan in advancing its counterterrorism efforts.”
Authorities said the rescued so far include women and children. An undisclosed number of security personnel have been killed, according to the three security officials. They spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to speak to the media.
Officials say the Jafer Express train was partially inside a tunnel when the militants blew up the tracks, forcing the engine and nine coaches to stop. The driver was wounded and guards aboard the train were attacked, although the officials gave no details on how many there were or about their fate.
Rescued passengers were being sent to their hometowns and the injured were being treated at hospitals in the Mach district. Others were taken to Quetta, the provincial capital, about 100 kilometers (62 miles) away. The train was traveling from Quetta to the northern city of Peshawar when it came under attack.
Balochistan, which borders Iran and Afghanistan, has long been the scene of insurgency with separatists demanding greater autonomy from the government in Islamabad and a larger share of the region’s natural resources.