ISLAMABAD – The death toll from extremist hijacking trains in southwestern Pakistan’s southwestern mountains has risen to 31 soldiers, staff and civilians, as the military accused India and Afghanistan of supporting rebels on Friday.
The separatist Baroque Liberation Army, which argued responsibility for Tuesday’s attack, issued a statement that the fighter fled with 214 hostages and then executed everything.
The militants took over the Jafar Express on a remote mountain road in Balochistan, blowing up train tracks in the attack, then took passengers hostages at a standoff for the day.
Army spokesman Ahmed Schaudhry said the soldiers killed 33 rebels, rescued 354 hostages and ended the siege. He added that there was nothing to suggest that BLA took other hostages from the scene.
The final count showed 23 soldiers, three railroad employees and five passengers died in attack and rescue missions, Chaudhry said it rose from previous estimates of 25 casualties.
He added that Pakistan has evidence that India and Afghanistan supported the rebels, reflecting the accusations made by the Foreign Ministry following the attack. Both countries have denied the accusation.
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The separatist group issued a statement in response to the Army, saying that they had killed all hostages in custody. Pakistani officials have denounced the group making exaggerated claims in the past.
“This fight is not over yet, but it’s intensifying,” Bla said in a statement.
The BLA is the largest and powerful group of several ethnic Baroque rebel groups that have fought for decades to gain independence in mineral-rich states, home to major Chinese-led projects, including port mines and copper mines.
By Asif Shahzad
