Pakistan: Hostages killed after separatist militants hijack train carrying hundreds of passengers

Hostages have been killed after separatist militants hijacked a train carrying hundreds of passengers in Pakistan, authorities have said.

The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the attack and said they had killed 50 people on the train that was carrying more than 400.

Government officials have not confirmed how many hostages have been killed. Sarfraz Bugti, the chief minister in Balochistan province, said "we people have also been martyred, but we will share details later".

More than 50 militants have been killed and the insurgent attack has now ended after a day-long stand-off, according to officials.

Security officials told the Associated Press news agency that more than 300 hostages had been rescued.

Pakistan's junior interior minister Talal Chaudhry said 70 to 80 attackers had hijacked the train.

A Pakistani government spokesman described the attack as "an act of terrorism".

Passengers who have been freed described how gunfire was "coming from everywhere".

The train was hijacked on Tuesday as it entered a tunnel in Bolan, a district in the southwestern province of Balochistan.

The Jaffar Express was packed with 425 people, including women and children.

The train was on a 1,000-mile journey from Quetta to the city of Peshawar.

Militants blew up the railway tracks before firing at the train, killing the driver and trapping it inside a tunnel at Mashkaf.

Security forces exchanged gunfire with the militants who were wearing vests loaded with explosives.

Noor Muhammad, who was travelling with his wife, said: "First, they hit the engine with an RPG (rocket-propelled grenade).

"After that, gunfire started and explosions were heard, RPGs were used. God saved us. They made us get off (the train) and told us to get down or they would shoot. We got down and then they said 'leave'."

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Bashir Yousaf, who was with his family, said: "Everyone was crying and passengers were shouting, everyone was lying on the floor trying to save their lives.

"The sound of gunfire was coming from everywhere, then they (insurgents) told us to get down.

"After getting off we were told not to look back. I just kept walking without looking back to save my family's lives."

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack and said security officials were "repelling" the militants, while interior minister Mohsin Naqvi called the attackers "enemies" of Pakistan.

The BLA had demanded the release of Baloch political prisoners, activists, and missing persons within 48 hours.

It had threatened to start executing the hostages if the government did not fulfil its demands.

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