Quetta (Balochistan) [Pakistan], March 13 (ANI): ISPR Pakistan DG Lt Gen Sharif Chaudhry has said that the Jaffar Express clearance operation, launched after the train's hijacking in Balochistan, was complete. He added that all rebels, 33 in total, at the site of the attack had been killed.

'On March 11 in Bolan, terrorists targeted a railroad track around 1pm and blew it up and stopped the Jaffar Express. According to railway officials, the train had 440 passengers,' he said while speaking in an interview on Dunya News.

Chaudhry said the army, air force, Frontier Corps (FC) and the Special Services Group had taken part and recovered the hostages. He added that no passenger was hurt in the final clearance operation, but before that, 'the number of passengers who fell victim to the barbarism of the terrorists is 21.'

'These terrorists were in contact with their supporters and masterminds in Afghanistan during the operation via satellite phone. You saw that around 100 passengers were safely rescued yesterday evening from the terrorists, and today as well, a large number of passengers have been recovered,' he said, adding that the process continued intermittently.

Earlier in a statement, the Baloch Liberation Army has claimed that it had executed 50 additional captives on board the Jaffar Express.

Earlier PTV citing security officials had said that at least 190 passengers had been freed after terrorists hijacked the Jaffar Express. The hostage situation began on Tuesday near the Mashkaf Tunnel, about 157 kilometres from Quetta, when BLA rebels attacked the Jaffar Express and took more than 400 passengers hostage, including numerous security personnel.

There was no confirmation of the total number of casualties, but officials told Dawn News that at least 30 people -- including the driver of the locomotive and eight security personnel -- had lost their lives as the forces engaged in a gun battle. (ANI)