Baloch Liberation Army says attack took place because of ‘decades-long colonial occupation’, while officials say dozens of militants killed

An operation to rescue hundreds of people taken hostage when a train was hijacked by a separatist militant group in remote south-west Pakistan has continued into its second day, with dozens killed in the onslaught.

On Wednesday, Pakistan’s security services claimed to have rescued about 190 people who were being held captive after militants from the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) blew up a railway line and launched an attack on the Jaffar Express train.