In Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province, armed insurgents hijacked a passenger train on Tuesday, taking over 450 passengers hostage. The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), which has been fighting for independence for years, claimed responsibility for the attack.

The incident occurred around 1 PM in the mountainous region of Sibi district. The train, which was on a journey of over 30 hours from Quetta to Peshawar, was intercepted by insurgents who targeted the driver, leaving him injured. The attackers forced the train to stop by removing railway tracks before taking the passengers hostage.

Muhammad Kashif, a senior railway official in Quetta, confirmed that the train carried over 450 passengers, including women and children, who were now in the custody of the armed group. In a statement, the BLA warned of dire consequences if any rescue attempt was made.

Government sources reported that hospitals in the Sibi region were put on high alert. A security official revealed that the train was halted near a tunnel in a remote mountainous area, where the insurgents likely had hidden bases.

Balochistan has long been plagued by clashes between security forces and separatist militants who accuse the government and foreign corporations of exploiting the region’s natural resources while neglecting the local population. Since the Taliban’s rise to power in Afghanistan, violence in Pakistan’s border areas has intensified.

In 2024 alone, over 1,600 people have died in terrorist attacks across Pakistan—the highest toll in a decade, according to Islamabad-based think tank Center for Research and Security Studies.

Earlier this year, in February, BLA militants stopped a bus and executed seven Punjabi passengers. In 2023, coordinated BLA attacks killed at least 39 people, mostly ethnic Punjabis. The group also claimed responsibility for a deadly bombing at Quetta’s main railway station in November, which killed 26 people, including 14 soldiers.