Jaffar Express Hijacking: 33 Terrorists Killed Successful Operation by Security Forces

[AbdulQadir7]

The security operation to free the Jaffar Express from terrorist control is successful and all the 33 terrorists are neutralized, reads the ISPR statement. Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) confirmed the clearance mission commenced after the train was hijacked in Balochistan, added that it was successfully concluded on 13 March.

The Attack on Jaffar Express​

On March 11 at 1 PM, terrorists detonated explosives against a railroad track in the Bolan region of Pakistan, causing the Jaffar Express train, which was carrying 440 passengers, to derail. The attack, planned in a remote part of the country with limited road access, endangered hundreds of innocent lives.

The attack was claimed by the banned militant group Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), though Lt. Gen. Chaudhry did not refer to this in his statement. The fact that the terrorists had taken girls and women as hostages and used women and children as human shields made the response/rescue operation all the more complicated."

Decisive Action Taken by the Security Forces​

A coordinated operation was then carried out by Pakistan Army and Air force, Frontier Corps (FC) and Special Services Group (SSG). The security forces reacted, rescuing hostages in stages and attempting to keep casualties to a minimum.

The terrorists remained in contact with their handlers in Afghanistan throughout the attack via satellite phones, ISPR had said. Intelligence had verified that the masterminds were controlling the attack from across the border.

Where the Operation Stands: Key Developments​

• All 33 terrorists involved in hijacking Jaffar Express were killed.
• 21 passengers and four FC personnel were martyred, but the final phase of the rescue mission spawned no hostages.
• Tell us that satellite phones were used by terrorists to contact their masterminds in Afghanistan, etc.
• ISPR commits to kill terrorists and bring them to justice.

The Last Clearance Operation​

Lt. Gen. Chaudhry elaborated on the details of the final clearance operation, explaining that the rescue mission had been carried out with extreme caution. The terrorists had embedded suicide bombers among the hostages, making it difficult for security forces to act quickly without sacrificing lives.

Despite the intense environment, all terrorists were neutralized and no passenger was harmed in the final assault. But 21 innocent passengers were already dead before the rescue mission was ever finished.

Three personnel of the Frontier Constabulary posted at a railways checkpoint were also martyred, and one soldier was martyred in the operation. “In their sacrifice, innumerable lives were saved and there was no further loss of property in the vicinity,” said ISPR.

The train and its surrounding areas are also being inspected by a bomb disposal squad for complete safety, which is underway along with a sanitisation operation to nab any accomplices of the terrorists.

A Warning to Terrorists​

Lt. Gen. Chaudhry said that no terrorist organization would be permitted to endanger innocent Pakistanis.

“No one must be allowed to make the innocent men, women and children of Pakistan the victim of their barbarism, whether on the streets, in the trains, the buses or the markets, for their misleading ideas and facilitation of foreign masters.

He also underscored that no one will ever (be able to) connect terrorists with Islam, Pakistan or Balochistan and that they will be pursued and punished. “This incident changes the rules of the game,” he said.

Details About the Operation​

The security officials released drone footage of the operation, which showed that the terrorists had separated the hostages into three groups and mingled them with suicide bombers. But military commanders took their time taking these suicide bombers out, before going in and saving the passengers.

The operation was carried out in terms of step-wise:

• Eliminating Suicide Bombers – The first priority was killing the suicide bombers, without putting hostages in danger.
• Evacuating passengers — When threats were eliminated, hostages were directed to safe areas.
• Zeroing the Train – Security elements moved onto the train and zero’d space by space ensuring that there were no longer any threats.
• This method ensured that hostages had absolute safety when eliminating terrorists.

Tributes to Security Forces​

And while he expressed deep sorrow over the loss of innocent lives, he praised the security forces who took valiant action to end the siege. He praised their action in neutralizing the terrorists and safely rescuing hostages.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also praised the professionalism of the security forces and said they made special effort to protect women and children.

“Terrorists are a blot on this land, it is time to root out this evil forever with everyone’s support of the country,” Naqvi said. He further cautioned that their facilitators along with terrorists would also be given an iron fist.

Hostages Freed Amid Tragedy​

Other reports have confirmed that at least 190 of the hostages who were on the Jaffar Express have been safely evcautated. But the attack had already taken a heavy toll, including that of the train’s driver and some security personnel.

Officials estimated as many as 70 to 80 of the terrorists were involved in the incident, as they had handlers who were stationed in countries bordering Pakistan. Talal Chaudhry, the Minister of State for Interior, highlighted foreign involvement, particularly from India, in executing such acts to disintegrate the peace of Pakistan.

He attacked social media with a terror-related political trend and warned social media will kill him, government will take strict action against him.

A Declaration Of War On Terrorism​

Eliminating terrorism demands national unity, Chaudhry stressed. He remembered that from 2013 to 2018, Pakistan had almost eliminated terrorism in the country with the help of political and military cooperation. But recent developments suggest that the threat of cross-border terror has returned with a vengeance.

The attack on Jaffar Express is a watershed moment in Pakistan’s counter-terrorism efforts. Terrorism had never targeted an entire train in this way before; this was truly unprecedented. However, the immediate and coordinated reaction by security forces showed that Pakistan remains resilient in the face of such threats.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also offered assurance to the nation that such cowardly acts would never dent on Pakistan's determination for peace. “The entire nation is deeply pained, however, our resolve to purge the country of terrorism remains firm,” he declared.