The Pakistan security forces have rescued over 104 passengers and killed 16 militants in Quetta where a train was by the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) on Tuesday. Security sources claimed a gun battle was ongoing with Pakistani security agencies and militants on Wednesday morning.
The incident unfolded on Tuesday afternoon in the Mushqaf area of the Bolan district. The train with 400 passengers onboard in nine bogies was on its way from Quetta to Peshawar when it came under attack.
The incident happened around 157km from Quetta. The rail route from Quetta to Peshawar runs parallel to the highway but diverges near the town of Mashkaf. It then passes through the mountains through a series of tunnels. The Mashkaf Tunnel, where the train was hijacked, is the eighth tunnel, located in a rugged terrain.
The attackers stormed the train before it was to enter the tunnel. They bombed the railway track and opened fire on the locomotive, injuring the driver before taking over the train into the tunnel located in the remote, mountainous area which borders Afghanistan and Iran.
The security agencies rushed to the area after receiving word of the attack. Though they were faced with the challenging terrain, they managed to cordon off the area. Some passengers were freed as security forces began reaching the site.
The Baloch militants are communicating with their international handlers via satellite phones and have since split into several groups. Pakistani agencies claim they have used women and children as human shields, further complicating the operation, according to Pakistani media reports. They also reported intense firing and explosions near the tunnel.
Rana Muhammad Dilawar, the district police officer in the area where the train was stopped, said the security forces had surrounded the area. "There were around four to five government officials on the train," he added.
The rescued people include 58 men, 31 women and 15 children. They were rescued in another train. Over 17 injured passengers were shifted to a nearby hospital for immediate medical treatment.