104 hostages rescued, BLA demands release of Baloch activists

In the Jaffar Express train attack incident, security forces killed at least 30 terrorists and rescued 104 passengers after Baloch militants hijacked the train in a tunnel in Pakistan’s restive Balochistan province on Tuesday, security officials said.

Also read:शिरडी में गोमांस बिक्री पर पाबंदी, भक्तों से किराए के नाम पर लूट भी रुकि

The Jaffar Express, carrying around 400 passengers in nine bogies, was travelling from Quetta to Peshawar when armed men intercepted it in a tunnel near the mountainous terrain of Gudalar and Piru Kunri on Tuesday afternoon.In the meantime, the BLA has given a 48-hour ultimatum for a prisoner exchange, demanding the release of Baloch political prisoners in exchange for the 214 hostages it is holding.

Also read:रोहित शर्मा की कप्तानी में भारत ने जीता पांचवां खिताब

BLA Declares Hostages as Prisoners of War, Demands Prisoner Exchange

In a latest statement, the BLA called the Pakistani government an “occupying state” and listed its demands. “BLA has maintained complete control of the train and all hostages for the past eight hours. Under the rules of war, we consider these 214 hostages as prisoners of war, and BLA is prepared for a prisoner exchange. We give the occupying state of Pakistan 48 hours to immediately and unconditionally release Baloch political prisoners, forcibly disappeared persons, and national resistance activists.

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The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) later claimed claimed responsibility for the attack. Security sources confirmed that they have rescued 104 passengers, including women and children, during an ongoing gun battle with the militants. “We have killed 16 militants and injured many others in the battle, which is still going on,” one source told PTI, adding that the cleanup operation will continue until they rescue all passengers from the train.

Also read:भारतीय रेलवे स्टेशनों पर भीड़ प्रबंधन के लिए नई रणनीति तैयार