'Our War Has Come To A Point Where...': Baloch Militants Release Video Of Jaffar Express Hijacking
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The Pakistan Army lost 28 of its soldiers in the Jaffar Express hijacking, which was a huge embarrassment for the all-powerful military in the country.
The Baloch Liberation Army's media wing, Hakkal, has released a detailed video of the hijacking of the Jaffar Express in March, where the group bombed a remote railway track in mountainous southwest Balochistan and stormed a train with around 450 passengers on board.
The Baloch outfit dubbed the hijacking 'Operation Darra-e-Bolan 2.0," which unfolded in Bolan, located in Pakistan's province of Balochistan. The video shows the BLA's orchestrated assault on Pakistani military forces and preparedness, including Fiyadeen training and combat briefings, where senior militants disclosed plans about halting the train, taking hostages and assaulting military helicopters.
The 30-minute video also showed dramatic footage of the March 11 attack on Jaffar Express, where BLA fighters, especially members of the Majid Brigade, Fateh Squad, and Special Tactical Operations Squad, bombed the railway track and engaged Pakistani troops while capturing the Peshawar-bound train and holding hostages.
In the video, one of the militants was heard saying, 'Our struggle and war have come to a point where we are to take such difficult decisions. Our young people are equipped to take such steps, for they are aware that there is no option left other than such decisions."
'A gun is needed to halt the gun… Young Baloch men have taken the decision today to attack the enemy without any hesitation or care about their lives. If a son is leaving his father behind to sacrifice his life, a father is also leaving his son behind to sacrifice himself for the cause," he added.
BLA fighters accused Pakistan of extrajudicially killing Baloch people and taking the Balochistan province to ruination. One of them slammed the United Nations and human rights organisations of remaining silent over the Baloch 'genocide".
The video also included the names of 'fallen heroes" who were killed during the confrontation with the military while pledging to continue their fight 'until total victory", and that the days of the Pakistani military were numbered.
The attack came as a huge embarrassment for the Pakistani establishment, and the bodies of at least 25 people, including 21 hostages, were retrieved from the train hijack site. The Pakistani army claims that it freed more than 340 train passengers in a two-day rescue operation that ended late on Wednesday. It also said that 28 soldiers died, including 27 off-duty soldiers.
The BLA disputed these numbers and said it had killed 50 soldiers and executed 214 hostages, after the Pakistani army disregarded a 48-hour ultimatum to exchange prisoners of war.
This came days after Baloch leaders, including activist Mir Yar Baloch, declared Balochistan's independence from Pakistan. 'We have claimed our independence and we request India to allow Balochistan's official office, and embassy in Delhi," said Mir. Pakistan later began a large-scale crackdown in Balochistan, suspending internet and electricity services in several areas.
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First Published:
May 19, 2025, 12:43 IST
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