A military operation in Pakistan has ended with the deaths of 33 militants after armed rebels from the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) hijacked a passenger train in Balochistan.
At least 21 civilian hostages and four soldiers were killed before security forces intervened, according to a military spokesperson.
The attack unfolded when militants stormed a train carrying approximately 440 passengers, detonating explosives on the tracks and opening fire near a mountain tunnel. At least 100 security personnel were among those on board. The BLA, which has been designated a terrorist group by Pakistan, the UK, and the US, had demanded the release of Baloch political prisoners within 48 hours, threatening to kill hostages if their demands were not met.
During the chaos, some passengers managed to flee into the surrounding mountainous terrain, while others walked for hours to reach the nearest railway station. Pakistani authorities launched a large-scale military response, deploying helicopters and hundreds of troops to secure the area. By Wednesday morning, more than 100 hostages had been freed, but the military is still searching for unaccounted-for passengers.
The BLA has carried out attacks on military targets and infrastructure before, but this train hijacking marks a significant escalation in their insurgency. The Pakistani government has vowed to continue operations to eliminate the group and prevent further attacks.
