In Pakistan, at least six military personnel were killed and over 450 passengers of the Peshawar-Quetta Jaffar Express have been taken hostage after the train came under attack from armed militants in Balochistan’s Mach area today. Media reports quoted a spokesperson for the Balochistan government, Shahid Rind saying that the train, which was travelling from Quetta in Balochistan province to Peshawar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, came under heavy fire during the assault leading to its derailment.
It was also reported that hundreds of passengers including women and children were held by the militants during the incident. The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), a militant separatist group operating in the region, claimed responsibility for the attack. The group issued a warning to Pakistan, threatening that any military response would lead to further escalation. Local media reports that authorities are continuing their investigation into the attack, which highlights the ongoing security challenges in the restive province of Balochistan, a region where separatist insurgencies have long been active.