Militants say 214 people taken hostage as train hijacked in Pakistan

Pakistani security officials inspect vehicles at a checkpoint in Quetta, Balochistan, after security was intensified following the train hijack. Photograph: Sami Khan/EPA

A separatist militant group in Pakistan’s south-western Balochistan province says it has taken 214 hostages including military personnel after hijacking a train, as the country’s security situation continues to decline sharply.

The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) blew up the tracks and fired on the Jaffar Express train as it travelled through a tunnel in a remote and mountainous area, bringing the train to a halt.