Baloch insurgents ambushed a passenger train in Pakistan’s Balochistan province on Tuesday, taking hostages and launching a full-scale operation to secure the area. The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), which has stepped up violence along the Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran border, released footage of gunmen standing guard over passengers forced to the ground.

The rebels attacked the Jafar Express when it was heading into a tunnel in a remote area. The rebels blew up a portion of the rail line before attacking the train that had more than 450 passengers. The number of hostages still in captivity is not known as Pakistani security forces undertake an operation to rescue those held.

Military Rescue Operation Underway

A large-scale military operation is underway to evacuate passengers from the besieged train. In two days, security personnel have released 190 hostages. Passengers took hours of arduous journeys on foot through treacherous mountainous terrain to escape.

“I can’t find the words to describe how we managed to escape. It was terrifying,” Muhammad Bilal, who was with his mother, told AFP News.

The BLA took responsibility for the attack, calling for a hostage exchange for its jailed members. The group has been fighting a decades-long rebellion, claiming that the Pakistan state is plundering Balochistan’s natural resources without developing the province.

Increase in Violence After Taliban Come to Power

Violence has escalated in Pakistan’s western border regions since the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan in 2021. The BLA escalated the attacks, targeting security personnel and non-Baloch workers from Punjab and Sindh. The rebels had earlier coordinated attacks, including overrunning a main highway and killing travelers of other ethnic backgrounds.

Security and Economic Implications

Balochistan has historically been a center for insurgent activity, with steady attacks on Pakistani security forces and foreign development initiatives. The latest round of unrest remains to test the stability of Pakistan and economic investment within the region.

Pakistan’s authorities continue to stay on their toes as the military operation rages on. The developments in the hostage crisis and security reaction are expected to be given in the next few days.