Separatist militants targeted a passenger train in southwestern Pakistan on Tuesday, injuring the train driver, according to police and railway officials.
The Jaffar Express, carrying approximately 400 passengers across nine carriages, was en route from Quetta in Balochistan province to Peshawar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa when the attack occurred, as reported by railway officials.
The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), a militant separatist organization, claimed responsibility for the assault and alleged that they had taken hostages from the train, including members of the security forces.
Provincial government and railway officials have not confirmed the reports of hostages.
Security personnel have arrived at the scene of the incident, located in the Mushqaf area of Bolan district in Balochistan, according to a railway official.
In response to the attack, the Balochistan government has enacted emergency protocols, with all relevant institutions mobilized to address the situation, stated government spokesperson Shahid Rind.
The region has experienced a prolonged insurgency by separatist groups, resulting in frequent assaults on government, military, and Chinese interests, driven by demands for a fair distribution of the area’s mineral wealth.
The BLA advocates for the independence of Balochistan and is the largest among several ethnic insurgent factions that have been in conflict with the South Asian government for decades, claiming that it unjustly exploits the region’s abundant gas and mineral resources.
