The assault on the express train, for which the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) took responsibility, occurred yesterday at about 157 kilometers from Quetta, when the attackers took control of the means of transport with more than 400 passengers, the Dawn newspaper reported.

On Wednesday, security forces and hijackers engaged in a clash in which 27 terrorists were killed, according to official sources.

The overall toll was not confirmed, but authorities said that at least 10 people, including the engineer of the locomotive and eight security personnel, were killed.

Rescue operations are still being carried out with special care, as the assailants have placed suicide bombers with explosive vests near some innocent hostages, the newspaper said.

Radio Pakistan added that the kidnappers are in contact with their facilitators in Afghanistan.

Quoting police sources, the radio news service explained that in anticipation of a possible defeat, the terrorists are using innocent people as human shields.

The banned Balochistan Liberation Army claimed responsibility for the attack and claimed to have freed several people, including women and children, but these reports could not be independently verified, the Pakistani press noted.

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