Pakistan train attack: BLA militants claim 20 soldiers killed, dozens taken hostage

A nightmare unfolded in Pakistan’s volatile Balochistan province as heavily armed militants from the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) stormed the Jaffar Express, reportedly killing 20 soldiers and taking at least 182 passengers hostage in a brazen assault.

The attack, which took place in the remote Bolan district, has plunged the region into a security crisis, with the militant group warning of mass executions if the military intervenes.

Claiming responsibility for the attack, BLA said that its gunmen bombed the railway track before boarding the train. The militants halted the locomotive inside Tunnel No. 8 — a narrow, dark passage along the rugged, mountainous terrain where escape was nearly impossible.

"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 while on leave," the BLA said in a statement.

Passengers were thrown into chaos as gunfire erupted inside the train, leaving the military scrambling for a response.

Hostages and escalating tensions

In another statement, the BLA declared it had released civilian passengers, including women, children, and the elderly, but warned of dire consequences if security forces attempted a rescue operation. “If the Pakistan military intervenes, all hostages will be executed,” the group’s statement read.

Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi condemned the attack, calling the militants “beasts” for targeting innocent passengers. Meanwhile, authorities have imposed an emergency at Sibi hospital in anticipation of casualties.

Railway officials confirmed that no contact has been established with the 450 passengers and staff aboard the nine-coach Jaffar Express following a brutal attack.

Pakistan Army has dispatched a relief train carrying reinforcements, including soldiers and medical teams, to the site. However, reaching the location remains a challenge due to the region's mountainous and rugged terrain. Ambulances have also been deployed to assist the wounded, officials said.

Meanwhile, a chilling, unverified video has surfaced online, allegedly capturing the moment of the Baloch insurgent attack. The footage appears to show a train car engulfed in flames following an explosion and gunfire, with thick plumes of smoke rising amid the chaos.

The Jaffar Express, en route from Quetta in Balochistan to Peshawar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, came under fire and was forcefully halted by armed men, news agency PTI reported.

Balochistan, a hotbed of insurgency, has seen frequent attacks by nationalist militants demanding greater control over the province’s vast natural resources. This latest hostage crisis underscores the growing instability and the Pakistani government’s struggle to maintain control over the restive region.