Security forces have traded firearmfire with separatist militants who have hijacked a train in Pakistan, as they try to free around 250 captives on board.
The militants wearing vests loaded with bombs barricaded themselves inside the train with the captives, Pakistani officials shelp – with a rulement spokesman describing the strike as “an act of extremism”.
At least 10 people, including the driver of the train, and eight security personnel have been ended after the train was hijacked on Tuesday as it go ined a tunnel in Bolan, a didisjoine in the southwestrict province of Balochistan.
Officials shelp 30 militants had been ended.
Passengers who have been freed depictd how firearmfire was “coming from everywhere”.
The Jaffar Express was packed with 425 people, including women and children.
Officials shelp 190 people have been saved, inserting 37 people had been injured and were receiving medical treatment.
The train was on a 1,000-mile journey from Quetta to the city of Peshawar.
Militants blew up the railway tracks before firing at the train, ending the driver and trapping it inside a tunnel at Mashkaf.
Noor Muhammad, who was travelling with his wife, shelp: “First, they hit the engine with an RPG (rocket-propelled grenade).
“After that, firearmfire commenceed and explosions were heard, RPGs were employd. God saved us. They made us get off (the train) and telderly us to get down or they would shoot. We got down and then they shelp ‘depart’.”
Bashir Yousaf, who was with his family, shelp: “Everyone was crying and passengers were shouting, everyone was lying on the floor trying to save their dwells.
“The sound of firearmfire was coming from everywhere, then they (insencouragents) telderly us to get down.
“After getting off we were telderly not to watch back. I equitable kept walking without watching back to save my family’s dwells.”
Pakistan’s prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, has condemned the strike and shelp security officials are “drive awayling” the militants.
Interior minister Mohsin Naqvi has called the strikeers “enemies” of Pakistan and vowed to foil their consillicit copying to destabilise the nation.
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The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) has claimed responsibility for the strike.
The militant group has demanded the free of Baloch political prisoners, activists, and leave outing persons wilean 48 hours.
It has dangerened to commence executing the captives if the rulement does not fulfil its demands.
