Taliban Rejects Pakistan’s Allegations Of Involvement In Balochistan Train Attack

The Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has denied claims linking the group to the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) attack on a passenger train in Balochistan, Pakistan.

In a statement, the Taliban rejected allegations made by the Pakistani Army spokesperson, calling them "baseless".

On Thursday, March 13, the Taliban responded to the attack on the Jaffar Express, where dozens of passengers were taken hostage. The group stated, "We categorically reject the baseless claim made by the Pakistani Army spokesperson" regarding the Taliban's connection to the attack on the passenger train in Balochistan.

The Taliban urged Pakistan to focus on its internal security issues rather than making "irresponsible" accusations. It also stressed that no members of the Baloch separatist militia were present in Afghanistan and denied any ties with the group. The statement expressed regret over the loss of innocent lives, saying, "Sacrificing civilians for political goals is unjustifiable."

Earlier, Pakistan’s Army spokesperson, Ahmed Sharif Choudhry, claimed that the attack was planned by Baloch separatists operating from Afghanistan. He alleged that the attackers used satellite phones to communicate with their commanders during the incident.

The attack took place on Tuesday, when Baloch separatist militants targeted the Jaffar Express, a passenger train carrying over 400 people. The militants detonated explosives to stop the train, which was travelling through a mountainous region near the Afghanistan-Iran border. They then took hostages.

On Wednesday, March 12, the Pakistan Army reported that security forces had eliminated the suicide bombers and killed 33 Baloch militants during a special forces operation. The Army claimed no hostages were harmed, but confirmed that 21 passengers had already been killed before the operation began.

Earlier reports by Afghanistan International, citing Pakistani security agencies, indicated that intercepted communications suggested links between the attackers and networks in Afghanistan, India, and Europe.

The attack on the railway and hostage-taking in Balochistan has been met with international condemnation. Many countries have condemned the targeting of civilians. The Baloch Liberation Army, one of several armed separatist groups in Balochistan, has been engaged in a long-running insurgency against the Pakistani government in the mineral-rich region bordering Afghanistan and Iran.