After Jaffar Express hijacking, Baloch insurgents ambush military convoy; seven killed

The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) has intensified its campaign against Pakistani security forces. On Sunday (March 16), a military convoy traveling from Quetta to Taftan was ambushed, resulting in the deaths of at least seven soldiers and injuries to 21 others, according to official sources.

The BLA, however, claims the attack was more devastating, alleging that 90 military personnel were killed in what they described as a coordinated operation, Moneycontrol reported.

Condemning the attack, Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti, in an official press release said, “Those who play with the peace of Balochistan will be brought to a tragic end.”

“Cowardly attacks cannot lower our morale. There is no place for terrorists in Balochistan, peace will be established at all costs,” Dawn quoted the Chief Minister as saying.

The injured were being shifted to the FC Camp and Noshki Teaching Hospital, where an emergency has been imposed.

BLA’s hijacking of Jaffar Express

​This recent attack comes on the heels of the dramatic hijacking of the Jaffar Express earlier this week.

On March 11, 2025, the Jaffar Express– a passenger train traveling from Quetta to Peshawar with approximately 450 passengers– was hijacked by militants from the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) in Pakistan’s Balochistan province. ​

The BLA issued a 48-hour ultimatum, demanding the release of Baloch political prisoners, activists, and individuals they claimed were forcibly disappeared. They threatened to execute the hostages if their demands were not met. ​

Pakistani security forces launched a significant rescue operation, deploying special forces and helicopters. Over a 36-hour period, they engaged the militants, resulting in the rescue of approximately 354 hostages.

The Pakistani military reported that 21 passengers and four soldiers were killed during the incident. The BLA, however, claimed to have executed 214 hostages , though they did not provide evidence to support this assertion. ​

With inputs from agencies