Pakistan Security Forces Battle to Free About 300 Hostages Aboard Train

Paramilitary soldiers stand guard at a railway station in the Sibi district of southwestern Balochistan province on March 12, 2025, during a security operation against militants a day after they hijacked a passenger train. (Photo by Banaras KHAN / AFP)
Paramilitary soldiers stand guard at a railway station in the Sibi district of southwestern Balochistan province on March 12, 2025, during a security operation against militants a day after they hijacked a passenger train. (Photo by Banaras KHAN / AFP)
TT
20

Pakistan Security Forces Battle to Free About 300 Hostages Aboard Train

Paramilitary soldiers stand guard at a railway station in the Sibi district of southwestern Balochistan province on March 12, 2025, during a security operation against militants a day after they hijacked a passenger train. (Photo by Banaras KHAN / AFP)
Paramilitary soldiers stand guard at a railway station in the Sibi district of southwestern Balochistan province on March 12, 2025, during a security operation against militants a day after they hijacked a passenger train. (Photo by Banaras KHAN / AFP)

Pakistani security forces exchanged gunfire on Wednesday with hundreds of separatist militants as they sought to free about 300 hostages aboard a train in the country’s rugged southwest, officials said.
Security forces were being cautious as officials said the hostages were surrounded by militants wearing vests loaded with explosives. Government spokesman Shahid Rind said Pakistani, who were being backed up by helicopters in the remote region, were being cautious because of the situation. He described the attack “an act of terrorism.”
At least 27 militants have been killed and security forces rescued more than 150 of the 450 people who were on the train when it was hijacked on Tuesday as it entered a tunnel in Bolan, a district in restive Balochistan province. It was the first time militants have ever carried out such an attack, The Associated Press reported.
The Baloch Liberation Army group has claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it was open to negotiations to swap prisoners. So far, there has been no response or any indication from the government to the offer from the insurgents.
The BLA regularly targets Pakistani security forces, but has also in the past attacked civilians, including Chinese nationals working on multibillion-dollar projects related to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, or CPEC.
Authorities said the rescued included women and children, while an undisclosed number of security personnel have been killed, according to three security officials who spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to speak to media.



South Korean Prosecutors Seek Drone Chief's Arrest over Operation in North

A South Korean flag covers a ceremonial guard member prior to the arrival of South Korea’s President Moon Jae-in at the White House in Washington, US, April 11, 2019. REUTERS/Carlos Barria/Files
A South Korean flag covers a ceremonial guard member prior to the arrival of South Korea’s President Moon Jae-in at the White House in Washington, US, April 11, 2019. REUTERS/Carlos Barria/Files
TT
20

South Korean Prosecutors Seek Drone Chief's Arrest over Operation in North

A South Korean flag covers a ceremonial guard member prior to the arrival of South Korea’s President Moon Jae-in at the White House in Washington, US, April 11, 2019. REUTERS/Carlos Barria/Files
A South Korean flag covers a ceremonial guard member prior to the arrival of South Korea’s President Moon Jae-in at the White House in Washington, US, April 11, 2019. REUTERS/Carlos Barria/Files

South Korean prosecutors said on Sunday they had sought court approval to detain the head of a military drone unit as part of an investigation into former President Yoon Suk Yeol and drone operations in neighboring North Korea.

Prosecutors stepped up a probe into the drone operation after indicting the jailed ex-President Yoon on Saturday on additional charges for his short-lived declaration of martial law in December.

They had summoned the unit's chief, Kim Yong-dae, on Thursday regarding accusations that Yoon ordered a covert drone operation into the North last year to inflame tension between the neighbors to justify his martial law decree, Reuters reported.

Yoon has denied the accusations.

Kim told reporters the incident was part of a "clandestine military operation" in response to trash balloons sent from the North and not intended to provoke the neighboring nation.

In October, North Korea said the South had sent drones to scatter anti-North Korea leaflets over Pyongyang, and published photos of the remains of a crashed South Korean military drone.

South Korea at the time declined to disclose whether it had sent the drones.

In a statement on Sunday, the prosecution office said it had sought an arrest warrant for Kim. Media said a court hearing is planned for Monday afternoon to review the request for a warrant.

He was arrested on Friday without a court warrant, media said. Prosecutors and police are permitted to make an "emergency arrest" if they have a strong belief someone is guilty of a serious crime and may flee or destroy evidence.