Pakistan’s Prime Minister traveled to southwestern Balochistan on Thursday to meet survivors of a deadly train attack and the commandos who successfully rescued over 300 passengers from insurgents responsible for killing 21 civilians and four security personnel.

The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), a banned militant group behind several recent attacks, claimed responsibility for the assault, which began on Tuesday and ended Wednesday when security forces killed all 33 insurgents. The military reported no additional passenger casualties during the operation. The Jafer Express, en route from Quetta to Peshawar, was forced to stop partially inside a tunnel after militants detonated explosives on the track, derailing nine coaches and the engine.

While the BLA has frequently targeted Pakistani security forces and infrastructure, this was the first instance in which they successfully took control of a train. The group has also targeted foreign workers, particularly Chinese nationals involved in large-scale infrastructure projects in Balochistan.

Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest and most resource-rich yet sparsely populated province, has long been a center of ethnic tensions, with Baloch nationalists accusing the federal government of economic exploitation and discrimination.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was scheduled to visit Quetta on Thursday. Authorities confirmed that arrangements were being made to transport the victims' bodies to their hometowns, while those injured were receiving medical care.

In a statement issued overnight, the military claimed it had “confirmed intelligence” that the attack was orchestrated by terrorist leaders operating from Afghanistan, who remained in direct communication with the assailants throughout the incident.

Pakistan has repeatedly accused Afghanistan’s Taliban-led government of providing safe haven to the Pakistani Taliban and BLA, allegations that Kabul denies. However, the Pakistani military urged the Afghan authorities to prevent the use of their territory for militant activities against Pakistan.

According to the military, the insurgents took control of the train after sabotaging the tracks, using passengers—including women, children, and the elderly—as human shields. Survivors reported that the attackers fired on train windows, entered the carriages, and killed or injured passengers before taking hostages.

Military spokesman Lt. Gen. Ahmad Sharif confirmed that three soldiers guarding the railway track were also killed during the assault.