The operation launched to rescue passengers held hostage by armed men in the Balochistan province of Pakistan has been announced as complete. In a statement made by the Pakistan Army Public Relations Department (ISPR), it was stated that all the gunmen who carried out the attack were neutralized.
Details of the Attack
In the incident that took place yesterday, a train travelling from Quetta to Peshawar with around 450 passengers was stopped and attacked by gunmen. The attack was claimed by the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), a separatist group in Pakistan. Officials said the attackers set up an ambush in a mountainous area and chose that area to facilitate their escape.
Security sources said the attackers stopped the train in the tunnel and took many passengers hostage, using women and children as human shields. Authorities said the operation was carried out with utmost care and announced that 30 attackers were neutralized. However, it was reported that 21 passengers had lost their lives before the operation.
Increasing Terror Attacks in Pakistan
Terrorist attacks have been on the rise in Pakistan's Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces in recent years. Armed groups are targeting Pakistani security forces and civilians for ethnic and political reasons.
The Pakistani government claims that Taliban-linked groups are based in Afghanistan and are launching attacks from there, but the Afghan government denies these claims.
On the other hand, separatist groups like BLA are aiming to separate from Pakistan by advocating the independence of the Balochistan province. This situation increases security concerns in the region, while the Pakistani army emphasizes that it will continue its operations against such terrorist attacks.
This incident once again highlights the seriousness of security problems in Pakistan and reveals the need for the country to take more determined steps in the fight against terrorism.
