Jaffer Express carrying hundreds of passengers attacked in Balochistan

Militants have taken more than 400 passengers hostage on the Jaffar Express in Balochistan’s Bolan area, according to security sources.

The train, traveling from Quetta to Peshawar, came under fire in the Peru Kanri region of Kach district.

The assailants wounded the driver and seized control of the train in a tunnel, holding passengers, including women and children, hostage in the mountainous terrain near the Afghan and Iranian borders.

Security forces swiftly responded, reaching the site despite difficult conditions in the Mushqaf area.

Efforts to rescue the hostages continue, with a clearance operation underway to neutralise the attackers. The militants are reportedly in contact with facilitators abroad.

In response, the Balochistan government has imposed emergency measures, mobilizing all relevant institutions.

A relief train and additional security personnel have been dispatched.

Meanwhile, emergency protocols have been activated in Sibi and Civil Hospital Quetta to handle casualties.

The attack is part of a broader surge in militant activity in Balochistan, where 24 attacks were recorded in January 2025, resulting in significant casualties.