'Dozens' of wooden coffins intended for potential victims were seen being loaded at Quetta railway station in Pakistan after a train was hijacked by the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA).
More than 400 passengers were onboard the Jaffar Express train on Tuesday (11 March) when it was highjacked by the BLA in Pakistan's Balochistan province.
The BLA released a statement after the hijacking, in which it described the government in Pakistan as an 'occupying state', and listed a series of demands as it claimed it had 'maintained complete control of the train and all hostages for the past eight hours'.
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The statement continued: "Under the rules of war, these 214 hostages are considered prisoners of war and BLA is prepared for a prisoner exchange. The occupying state of Pakistan is given 48 hours to immediately and unconditionally release Baloch political prisoners, forcibly disappeared persons and national resistance activists.
"If our demands are not met within the stipulated period or if the occupying state attempts any military action during this time all prisoners of war will be neutralized and the train will be completely destroyed. The Pakistani army will bear full responsibility for the consequences."
In the wake of the threats, authorities have launched a major rescue operation involving hundreds of troops, as well as helicopters and special forces personnel.
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Dozens of passengers are believed to have been freed in the hours since the operation began, however, exact figures have not been independently confirmed. Approximately 27 militants are also reported to have been killed.
Today (March 12), BBC News reported witnessing 'dozens of wooden coffins' being loaded at Quetta railway station. A railway official who spoke to the outlet said the coffins were empty, but they were being transported to collect any possible casualties.
Muhammad Ashraf, one of the passengers who was freed from the train, told BBC News the hijacking was a 'scene of doomsday'.
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Fellow survivor Ishaq Noor, who was traveling with his wife and two children, described an explosion on the train which was 'so intense' it caused one of his children to fall off their seat.
He and his wife then proceeded to try and protect their children from gunfire, saying: "If a bullet comes our way, it will hit us and not the children."
It remains unclear how many passengers are still being held hostage.
In a statement on Twitter, The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan said it was 'gravely concerned by the ongoing crisis'.
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"We demand that all hostages be released immediately," it said, adding: "We strongly urge all relevant stakeholders to forge an urgent rights-based, pro-people consensus on the issues faced by citizens in Balochistan and to find a peaceful, political solution. HRCP condemns violence against unarmed civilians and noncombatants by the state as well as nonstate actors."
Topics: Crime, World News
Emily Brown