Pakistani security forces have killed 27 terrorists and rescued 155 passengers during an ongoing operation to rescue hostages following a train attack in the country's southwest Balochistan province, security sources said on Wednesday morning.
The incident happened in the Kacchi district of the province on Tuesday when a Jaffar Express train, carrying about 450 passengers in nine bogies, was traveling from the provincial capital city of Quetta to the country's northwest city of Peshawar and an unknown number of terrorists stormed the train and took passengers hostage, security forces told Xinhua.
The security sources said the operation to eliminate the terrorists is underway, who split into small groups with hostages and used them as human shields to hinder the operation.
"The terrorists wearing explosive vests have positioned suicide bombers near innocent hostages, making the rescue operation increasingly challenging," the sources said.
Security sources further revealed that the terrorists are in contact with their facilitators in Afghanistan, coordinating their actions as security forces intensify efforts to neutralize them and ensure the safe recovery of the remaining hostages.
The noose around the terrorists has been tightened, and the operation will continue until the last terrorist is eliminated, the sources said.
Earlier, railway officials confirmed that 57 rescued passengers were transported to Quetta in the early hours of Wednesday, while 23 others remained in Mach, a town in Balochistan.
In response to the crisis, the Balochistan government has declared an emergency and mobilized all relevant institutions to manage the situation, provincial spokesperson Shahid Rind said.