Pakistani forces free remaining hostages after train hijacking by separatist group

Pakistani forces have freed the remaining passengers from a hijacked train after militants from the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) seized hundreds of hostages and killed more than 100 people.

“All innocent hostages have been safely rescued, and their evacuation is underway,” the Pakistani army said in a statement on Wednesday, according to NBC News.

The rescue operation followed a series of executions by the militants, who claimed to have killed 50 hostages, in addition to 10 on Tuesday. The attack also resulted in the deaths of 10 Pakistani soldiers and 30 other people killed in combat. The army reported rescuing approximately 178 hostages on Wednesday, in addition to 168 recovered the day before.

More than 400 people, including 214 soldiers and security personnel, were aboard the train traveling to Peshawar when militants detonated explosives on the tracks as the train entered a tunnel in a mountainous region. The explosion halted the train, after which gunmen opened fire, killing 11 people. The attackers then took passengers hostage, separating law enforcement personnel from civilians before leading them into the mountains in groups.

The BLA, an ethnic separatist group that has waged a long-running insurgency against the Pakistani government, claimed responsibility for the attack. The group demanded the release of Baloch political prisoners, activists, and others within 48 hours, and threatened to execute hostages if the government did not comply with their demands, per NBC News.

The BLA said none of its fighters were killed and said hostages had not been freed but that it had “released all the women, children, sick and Baloch civilians.”

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack, calling it “cowardly.”

“Targeting innocent passengers during the peaceful and blessed month of Ramadan clearly reflects that these terrorists have no connection with Islam, Pakistan or Balochistan,” he said. “The fight against terrorism will continue until this menace is completely eradicated from the country.”