The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) has launched a major attack on the Jaffer Express passenger train, which was traveling from Quetta to Peshawar on March 11. The attack occurred in the Mishkaf area of Dhadar, Bolan district in Pak-occupied-Balochistan, where explosives were used to destroy the railway track, forcing the train to halt. The BLA then took the passengers hostage.
According to the BLA spokesperson, Jeeyand Baloch, over 400 passengers were initially taken hostage. Women and children were later released, but 182 individuals remain captive. The spokesperson claimed that 20 Pak Army personnel were killed during the operation.
The BLA said that this operation involved fidayeen of Majeed Brigade, unit dedicated to high-profile operations, STOS (Special Tactical Operations Squad), Fatah Squad, and the BLA’s intelligence unit ‘Zarab’.
Pak Army Respond with Military Action
Following the incident, Pak Army launched an operation in the area. Helicopters and fighter jets were seen flying over Dhadar and nearby regions as forces conducted ground operations. Security personnel cordoned off the area and deployed additional troops. The BLA spokesperson reported that their forces successfully repelled the Pak military’s ground operation, forcing them to retreat. However, airstrikes by Pak helicopters and drones were still ongoing.
The BLA spokesperson issued a stark warning that if these airstrikes did not cease immediately, they would execute all remaining hostages within an hour. He warned that if Pakistan Army continued their actions, they would bear full responsibility for the hostages’ deaths.
Emergency measures enforced
In response to the situation, the occupying government imposed emergency measures. Emergency protocols were activated in Quetta and Sibi hospitals, with ambulances dispatched to the scene.
A senior railway control officer in Quetta, Mohammad Sharif, confirmed that the train driver had been injured during the attack and that the train was stopped near Sibi as a result.
The BLA’s warning emphasized that if Pak security forces continued their military operation, all hostages would be killed. The organization claimed full responsibility for the attack and stressed that any harm to the hostages would be the result of Pakistan’s actions. This incident is BLA’s response to years of enforced disappearances, military crackdowns, and atrocities that the Baloch community has been facing since 1948 after a forceful occupation.