Pakistani Forces Rescue 155 Hostages from Separatist Group

Pakistani security sources reported on Wednesday, March 13, that the country's military rescued 155 passengers of a train who had been kidnapped by separatist militants in southwestern Pakistan. According to Reuters, the Pakistani government stated that operations to rescue more than 30 others still in the hands of these forces are ongoing. Earlier, the 'Baloch Liberation Army', the largest of several separatist groups in Balochistan province in southwestern Pakistan, announced on Tuesday, March 12, that they had taken 182 hostages, including Pakistani military personnel, during an attack on a train traveling from Quetta to Peshawar. This separatist group threatened to kill the hostages if security forces did not leave the area. Local officials, police, and railway authorities reported that the train, which had about 400 passengers, got stuck in a tunnel and the driver was severely injured. According to Reuters, the 'Baloch Liberation Army' stated that 'civilians, especially women, children, the elderly, and Baloch citizens have been safely released and a safe route has been provided for them.' Meanwhile, Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi condemned the attack, stating that the government would not give any concessions to 'the beasts who open fire on innocent passengers.' According to the report, Baloch people believe they are not receiving a fair share of the revenues from Balochistan's natural resources, and this discontent has led to the uprising of several Baloch separatist groups against the Pakistani government. The Baloch Liberation Army is designated as a terrorist group by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, and the Pakistani government.