Security forces killed at least 27 terrorists and 155 passengers were rescued after a passenger train was attacked by Baloch militants in a tunnel in a tunnel on Tuesday in a turbulent Balochistan province of Pakistan and 155 passengers were rescued. Security officials gave this information. Officials said that the encounter between security forces and militants is going on for the second consecutive day on Wednesday.
Officials said that in nine coaches, about 500 passengers were going from Jafar Express Quetta to Peshawar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa when armed attackers stopped it in a tunnel near Piru Kunri and Gudlar areas in Bolan area on Tuesday afternoon. The ‘Balochistan Liberation Army’ (BLA) later took responsibility for the attack. Bollan Quetta and Sibi have more than 100 km long hilly area. There are 17 tunnels in this area, through which the railway track passes. Due to the inaccessible area, the speed of the train here is often slow.
Security sources have confirmed that they managed to save more than 150 passengers, including women and children, during the ongoing encounter with terrorists. A source said, “27 terrorists have been killed and many others have been injured in the encounter. The encounter is still going on. ”He said that the campaign against the terrorists will continue till all the passengers are expelled from the train. He said, “Terrorists have now formed small groups to escape by taking advantage of the darkness, but the security forces have surrounded the tunnel and the remaining passengers will also be saved soon.”
It is said that other terrorists have taken some passengers to the hilly areas and the security forces are following them. The source said that the passengers rescued include 58 men, 31 women and 15 children and they have been sent to Mach city by another train. The city of Mach is in Kachhi district of Balochistan province of Pakistan. Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind said that the security forces had succeeded in getting rid of 80 passengers – 43 men, 26 women and 11 children from a compartment earlier. Although the authorities have not given any other details, Rind said that the security forces including military troops reached the inaccessible area where the tunnel is located soon after receiving the information about the train being stopped in the tunnel.
Pakistani media has reported a horrific firing and explosion near the tunnel, where the terrorists attacked the train. Rind said that the rescue team has been sent to the spot amid reports of “fierce” firing on the passenger train going to Peshawar. Meanwhile, Pakistan Railway has set up an emergency desk at Quetta railway station as anxious relatives are arriving to get information about their loved ones. In October last year, Pakistan Railways announced the restoration of rail services between Quetta and Peshawar after a suspension of more than one and a half months.
The rebels claimed that they had freed women and children, but the authorities denied the claim and Minister of State for Home Talal Chaudhary said the hostages were rescued by the security forces. In the area where the train has been stopped, the district police officer Rana Mohammad Dilawar said that the security forces have surrounded the area, but there are reports that the terrorists have taken some women and children hostage. He said that about four to five government officials were aboard the train.
Senior officer of Peshawar railway station Tariq Mahmood said that people should not pay attention to the rumors being spread through social media and other means. The official figure of the number of casualties is not available but security sources said that the train driver and several passengers were injured in the encounter. The BLA claimed that he took the train derailed and controlled it. The group said that it killed six security personnel and held more than 100 people hostage, including security personnel.
The BLA warned in a statement that if the Pakistan Army runs a campaign, “all the hostages will be killed.” The group is banned in Pakistan, Britain and America. Balochistan has seen an increase in terrorist attacks in the last one year. In November last year, a suicide bomber blew himself up by a suicide bomb at Quetta railway station in which 26 people were killed and 62 others were injured. After this, the Railways suspended several services.
