The Pakistani army says that it has released more than 300 hostages of a passenger train seized on Tuesday activists from the Balutchistan province.
The military spokesman said 33 activists had been killed during the operation.
Twenty-one civilian hostages and four soldiers were killed by the Liberation Army Baloch (Bla) before the start of the operation, the military spokesman said.
The army continues its research operation in the region to exclude remaining threats.
The Pakistani authorities – as well as several Western countries, including the United Kingdom and the United States – have appointed BLA as a terrorist organization.
BL is one of the rebel groups demanding greater autonomy or greater independence from Balutchistan, the largest province in Pakistan.
They accuse Islamabad of having exploited the rich mineral resources of the province while neglecting it. In the past, they have attacked military camps, stations and trains – but it is the first time that they have diverted a train.
At least 100 of the people on the train were members of the security forces, officials said.
The activists had threatened to kill hostages if the authorities did not disclose Balouth political prisoners within 48 hours, according to local relationships.
