On Tuesday night, Pakistan’s military launched a major operation in Balochistan. Reports suggest that four helicopters took off from the Pakistan Army Aviation Corps base in Quetta. The mission aimed to rescue hostages from the Zafar Express, which was hijacked by Baloch rebels in Mashkaf’s Tunnel No. 8.

According to reports, the Pakistan Army deployed Bell AH-1 Cobra helicopters to strike against the fighters of the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA). The operation focused on eliminating the rebels hiding in the surrounding mountains using thermal imaging sensors, heavy machine guns, and airstrikes. The Pakistani military claims that fighters from the fidayeen Majid Brigade stormed the train, taking hundreds of passengers hostage.

At dawn, Pakistan’s Special Service Group (SSG) commandos launched an operation to clear 16 other tunnels in Mashkaf. While the Pakistani government claims that 155 hostages have been freed, reports indicate that only Baloch civilians, women, and children were released. The whereabouts of Pashtun and Punjabi passengers remain unknown, raising serious concerns about the operation’s true objectives.