Security forces rescued 155 hostages and killed 27 terrorists after militants hijacked the Jaffar Express in Balochistan’s Bolan district. Officials guaranteed to continue the operation until all militants are eliminated.
Reportedly, on Tuesday, the Jaffar Express , carrying over 400 passengers in nine bogies, was traveling from Quetta to Peshawar , when armed terrorists hijack the train and make the passengers as hostage.
The terrorists bombed the railway track before attacking the train, opening fire on the locomotive and injuring the driver.
The train was hijacked near a remote, mountainous area close to the Afghanistan-Iran border.
Security forces quickly cordoned off the area and launched an operation despite the difficult terrain.
Railway officials confirmed earlier that 57 rescued passengers arrived in Quetta early Wednesday, while 23 remained in Machh.
According to security sources, they have rescued one hundred and four hostages, including fifty-eight men, thirty-one women, and fifteen children held by terrorists.
Seventeen passengers were injured and taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Security forces have killed 27 terrorists.
According to sources, the attackers were using satellite phones to communicate with handlers abroad, including a mastermind in Afghanistan.
They also used women and children as human shields, making the rescue mission more challenging.
The Balochistan government has declared an emergency in a province. The medical staff were called in Sibi and Civil Hospital Quetta for injured passengers.
An information desk was set up at Quetta Railway Station to provide updates on the incident.
It is worth mentioning here that President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the attack, praising security forces for their swift response.
