A powerful bomb explosion targeted a vehicle in a convoy of Pakistani forces on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) route near D Baloch in Turbat in southern Balochistan on Saturday morning. According to reports, the attack inflicted casualties on the security forces, though officials have not yet released specific details.
This marks the second attack on Pakistani forces in Balochistan within 24 hours, The Balochistan Post reported. A day earlier, a bomb blast targeted members of the Bomb Disposal Squad in Harnai as they were engaged in clearing a railway track.
BLA Says All 214 Hostages Executed After Jaffar Express Train Hijack
The latest incidents come amid heightened tensions following a large-scale attack by the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) earlier this week. The group hijacked the Jaffar Express train in Bolan and took over 200 Pakistani military personnel hostage, demanding their release in exchange for Baloch political prisoners.
In a statement, BLA spokesperson Jeeyand Baloch stated that all 214 hostages had been executed after Pakistan failed to meet the group’s deadline for a prisoner swap. “Baloch Liberation Army had given the Pakistani army a 48-hour ultimatum to exchange prisoners of war, which was the final chance for the army to save the lives of its personnel. However, Pakistan, displaying its traditional stubbornness and military arrogance, not only avoided serious negotiations but also turned a blind eye to the ground realities. As a result of this stubbornness, all 214 hostages have been executed,” the statement read.
Meanwhile, Pakistani forces remain engaged in counter-insurgency operations in Bolan. The military’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), confirmed that special forces had successfully cleared the hijacked train after a gruelling 36-hour operation. ISPR Chief Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, addressing the media, vowed strict action against the attackers. “We will take them on, their facilitators, and abettors whether inside Pakistan or outside. They will be dealt with sternly and in the way those killing innocent people deserve to be treated,” he said, as quoted by Dawn.
