of Balochistan, a security source told CNN Wednesday. The incident, which began Tuesday, left dozens dead. The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), a militant separatist group active in the restive and mineral-rich Balochistan province, claimed responsibility for the attack.

A total of 27 hostages were killed by the BLA, the security source said, as well as one soldier. At least 35 militants were killed in the rescue operation, the security source added. Around 450 passengers were on the Jaffer Express on route from Balochistan’s capital Quetta to Peshawar in the north, when militants opened “intense gunfire” as the train traveled through a tunnel early in its journey, according to officials.

Pakistan’s military then launched an operation to confront the attackers who used “women and children as shields,” according to security sources not authorized to speak to CNN. Passenger Mohammad Ashraf told CNN he saw more than 100 armed individuals on the train and that no harm was inflicted on women and children. One rescued woman described scenes of chaos following the attack, likening it to the “Day of Judgement.” She told CNN she fled gunfire and walked for two hours to reach safety. Survivor Arslan Yousaf recalled the terrifying moment the hijacking began.

“As soon as the explosion happened, armed men stormed the train. They had launchers, guns, and other weapons, and they immediately started firing – shooting directly at people,” he told Reuters. “They kept shouting, ‘We will kill anyone who doesn’t come out.’ Then, things took a darker turn. They began checking everyone’s ID cards - Punjabis, Sindhis, Baloch. They separated us into groups. Sometimes, they took soldiers outside and executed them. Other times, they targeted specific individuals. If they had a grudge against someone, they shot him on the spot.”

Muhammad Tanveer, who was held hostage for two days, told Reuters the hostages didn’t have any food and had to resort to drinking water from the train’s washroom. “Then, last night (Wednesday), our army arrived. By evening, they had cleared everything. They gave us protection, served us food and water, and took care of the situation,” he said. The security sources accused the militants of being in contact with handlers in Afghanistan. Pakistan’s military and government have long accused Afghanistan of providing sanctuary to militant groups, something its Taliban leaders have denied. (Aljazeera)