The hijacking of an entire train in Balochistan was orchestrated by militants based in Afghanistan, Pakistan’s military said citing intelligence as the 36-hour siege concluded on Wednesday.
The audacious assault began on Tuesday at 1pm local time after militants from the Baloch Liberation Army hijacked the Jaffar Express train carrying more than 400 passengers in the isolated mountains of Balochistan province.
By Wednesday night, the military said security forces killed 33 armed assailants and all the remaining passengers were rescued. But at least 21 passengers were killed in the assault on the train.
Militant leaders based in Afghanistan remained in contact with the attackers throughout the incident using satellite phones, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media and public relations wing of the Pakistan Armed Forces, said in a statement.
“Intelligence reports have unequivocally confirmed that the attack was orchestrated and directed by terrorist ring leaders operating from Afghanistan, who were in direct communication with the terrorists throughout the incident,” it said.
“Pakistan expects the interim Afghan government to uphold its responsibilities and deny use of its soil for terrorist activities against Pakistan.”
Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, director general of ISPR, also doubled down on Dunya News TV on allegations that Afghanistan was supporting militants and said the attack “changes the rules of the game”, without specifying what changes will take place.
“Whoever does this, let me say it very clearly, will be hunted down and brought to justice. Let me also say that this incident of Jaffer Express changes the rules of the game,” he said.
“We cannot allow anyone to target Pakistanis on behalf of their foreign paymasters,” he said, pledging to hunt down those responsible wherever they were.
He said the passengers were used as human shields by the militants and they had to carry out the operation with extreme caution.
The passenger train was travelling from Quetta, the capital of Balochistan, to Peshawar in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province with scheduled stops in many cities. But the train came under attack near Sibi city, about 160km (100 miles) from Quetta.
Ghulam Sarwar, 48, an assistant sub-inspector of the Pakistan Railways Police, said he was travelling with four railway personnel and five soldiers when the attack began, ensuing a heavy gunfighting.
“It was like a rain of rockets and bullets on the train, but we retaliated with gunfire,” he told Aljazeera. “When we ran out of bullets, they came down and started pulling the passengers from the train.”
He said attackers systematically sorted passengers based on ethnicity by checking their identity cards. They specifically singled out ethnic Punjabi passengers and individuals they suspected of having ties to the Pakistani military. Those selected were executed.
He said they killed so many people that they lost count and killings continued till 10km before some of the militants left.
Information minister Attaullah Tarar said they averted “a potential catastrophe” and claimed no passengers died because of the military operation.
The Baloch Liberation Army claimed responsibility for attacking the train in a tunnel in a remote part of Balochistan and gave a 48-hour ultimatum, demanding the “unconditional release of Baloch political prisoners, forcibly disappeared persons and national resistance activists”.
Spokesperson Jeeyand Baloch had said the group was ready to free passengers if authorities agreed to release jailed militants.
The attack drew condemnation and concerns from countries across the world including the US, China and Iran.
The US embassy in Islamabad said it condemns the “horrific attack” and expressed support to Pakistan in its efforts to ensure security.
“We strongly condemn the attack on the Jaffar Express train, and the hostage-taking of passengers in Kacchi, Balochistan, claimed by the Baloch Liberation Army, a US-Specially Designated Global Terrorist group. We extend our deepest sympathies and condolences to the victims, their families, and all those affected by this horrific act,” it said.
“The Pakistani people deserve to live free from violence and fear. The United States will remain a steadfast partner of Pakistan in its efforts to ensure the safety and security of all its citizens. We stand in solidarity with Pakistan during this difficult time.”
China, whose nationals working on multibillion-dollar infrastructure projects in Balochistan have been regularly targeted, also condemned the attack.
“We noted the reports and strongly condemn this terrorist attack,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said.
“We will continue to firmly support Pakistan in combating terrorism, maintaining solidarity and social stability and protecting the safety of civilians.”
Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, called on those who’ve taken people hostage to “release them at once”.
According to a global terrorism index released by the Institute for Economics and Peace, an international think tank, Pakistan was among the nations most impacted by terrorism last year, ranking second only to Burkina Faso in Africa.
Just last week, a coalition of separatist groups, including the BLA, declared their intent to escalate attacks on Pakistani security forces, infrastructure, and Chinese interests in the region.
