Twenty-one passengers and four paramilitary soldiers were killed when militants hijacked a train in Pakistan’s Balochistan, triggering a high-intensity military operation that ended with the army eliminating all 33 insurgents.

Pakistan Army spokesperson Lt Gen Ahmad Sharif confirmed the successful completion of the operation, stating that security forces had neutralized the terrorists responsible for the deadly attack. Federal Minister for Information Attaullah Tarar echoed this, declaring that all militants who had taken passengers hostage had been “eliminated.”

The Jaffar Express, carrying 440 passengers from Quetta to Peshawar, was derailed and seized by militants using explosives near Gudalar and Piru Kunri, 160 km from Quetta. The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility, alleging it had killed six soldiers.

Lt Gen Sharif detailed that the terrorists had rigged the railway track with explosives in the Bolan Pass area and used hostages—including women and children—as human shields. The army, Air Force, Frontier Corps, and elite commandos executed a coordinated operation, ensuring a gradual and cautious clearance of the train. Snipers eliminated suicide bombers first, followed by room-to-room sweeps of each coach.

The military revealed that the insurgents maintained contact with their handlers in Afghanistan via satellite phones, reinforcing suspicions of foreign involvement.

Despite the army’s claims of a successful rescue, the scale of civilian casualties has raised concerns. Survivors recounted horrifying moments of gunfire and explosions, with passengers forced to shield their children as bullets tore through the train. The BLA reportedly singled out individuals based on their ethnicity, releasing Baloch passengers while targeting others.

Pakistan’s government has vowed retaliation, with officials warning that the attack has “changed the rules of the game.” The Information Minister also accused Indian media of pushing “propaganda” and claimed a connection between the BLA’s narrative and the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

As Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif prepares to visit Balochistan for further action, global reactions have poured in. The US and EU strongly condemned the attack, pledging solidarity with Pakistan. Meanwhile, concerns over the escalating Baloch insurgency remain, with the region witnessing a surge in militant activity targeting security forces and infrastructure, including the $60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

This marks the first time a militant group has hijacked a passenger train in Balochistan, signaling a dangerous escalation in the province’s long-standing insurgency.