Pakistan Train Hijacked by Baloch Liberation Army; Six Soldiers Killed

A passenger train in Pakistan was hijacked by militants of the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), who are demanding recognition of Balochistan as an independent region. The attackers took hundreds of passengers hostage and killed six security personnel during the incident.

The attack targeted the Jaffar Express, which was traveling from Quetta to Peshawar with approximately 400 passengers on board. Armed militants seized control of nine carriages of the train. The BLA released a statement claiming full responsibility for the hijacking and warned that if Pakistani security forces attempted any action, they would execute all hostages.

Balochistan is Pakistan's largest province by area, covering 44% of the country's landmass, but it has one of the lowest population densities. It is home to Gwadar Port, one of the world's longest deep-sea ports, which has significant strategic importance.