Pakistan's leader meets survivors of deadly train hijacking and the commandos who ended the siege

QUETTA, Pakistan (AP) — Pakistan’s prime minister on Thursday commended the country’s armed forces for successfully rescuing 339 passengers after a deadly train hijacking by insurgents in the southwest. A total of 25 people were killed by the attackers.

The dead included 21 civilian hostages and four troops, one of whom was killed during the military's rescue operation. Authorities haven't provided the number of wounded. All of the insurgents were killed, officials said.

“The terrorists who attacked the train even showed no regard for the sanctity of the fasting month of Ramadan,” Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said in his televised remarks in Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province, where he also met with survivors of the train attack.

His remarks came hours after Pakistan's foreign ministry said that Afghan soil was used to orchestrate the train attack, though an outlawed separatist group, the Baloch Liberation Army, has claimed responsibility.

The assault began Tuesday and ended Wednesday when troops killed all 33 insurgents in an operation that the military said resulted in no further passenger deaths.

The train was heading from Quetta to the northern city of Peshawar when insurgents blew up the track, forcing nine coaches and the engine of the Jafer Express train to stop partially inside a tunnel.

The BLA regularly targets Pakistani security forces and has attacked trains, but had never been able to hijack one in the past. They have also attacked Chinese workers, thousands of whom are involved in multibillion-dollar infrastructure projects in Balochistan.

Oil- and mineral-rich Balochistan is Pakistan’s largest and least populated province. Members of the ethnic Baloch minority say they face discrimination and exploitation by the central government.

Amid tight security, Sharif and members of his Cabinet were received by senior government officials upon his arrival at an airport in Quetta, his office said. Authorities said that arrangements were made to transport victims' bodies to their hometowns, while wounded people were receiving medical treatment.

Foreign ministry spokesman Shafqat Ali Khan told reporters in Islamabad that BLA assailants who hijacked the train were in contact with their handlers in Afghanistan.

“Our security forces successfully eliminated all 33 terrorists, including suicide bombers, while rescuing the hostages,” he said.

Khan said that the attackers had been "in direct communications with Afghanistan-based planners throughout the incident” and Pakistan has repeatedly asked Kabul “to deny the use of its soil for terrorist groups like BLA for their attacks against Pakistan.”

“We urge Afghanistan to hold perpetrators, organizers, financiers, of this reprehensible act of terrorism accountable and cooperate with the government of Pakistan to bring all those who are concerned with this attack, including the real sponsors of terrorism, to justice,” Khan said.

In an overnight statement, the military said that it had “confirmed intelligence” indicating that the assault was “orchestrated and directed by terrorist ring leaders operating from Afghanistan, who were in direct communication with the terrorists throughout the incident.” The military didn't reveal details of the intelligence.

In Kabul, Afghan foreign ministry spokesman Abdul Qahar Balkhi rejected the Pakistani accusations, saying: “We are saddened by the loss of life of innocents in the incident.”

According to a Pakistani military statement, the “terrorists, after blowing up the railway track, took control of the train and held the passengers hostage including women, children and elderly, using them as human shields."

Many survivors said the assailants opened fire on the windows of the train, entered the cars and killed or wounded people before taking them hostage.

Three soldiers who had been guarding the railroad track were among those killed, according to military spokesman Lt. Gen. Ahmad Sharif.

Separately, Pakistani security killed 10 militants after spotting them near a military facility in South Waziristan, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan, officials said.

Authorities said those killed were members of Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTT. The group is an ally of the Taliban in Afghanistan and has been emboldened since the Afghan Taliban seized power there in 2021.

Munir Ahmed in Islamabad, and Rasool Dawar in Peshawar, contributed to this story.

Mourners gather around a casket of a victim of a train attack, for a funeral prayer in Quetta, Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province, Thursday March 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Arshad Butt)

Rescue workers transport the coffin of a victim of the train attack, upon arrival at a hospital in Quetta, Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province, Thursday March 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Arshad Butt)

Rescue workers gather around coffins containing the bodies of victims following a train attack upon arrival at a hospital in Quetta, Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province, Thursday March 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Arshad Butt)

Mourners unload the casket of a victim of the train that was attacked by insurgents, for a funeral prayer in Quetta, Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province, Thursday March 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Arshad Butt)

Mourners carry the coffin of a victim of the train attack, for a funeral prayer in Quetta, Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province, Thursday March 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Arshad Butt)

Mourners gather around a casket of a victim of the train attack, for a funeral prayer in Quetta, Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province, Thursday March 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Arshad Butt)

An injured victim of a passenger train attacked by insurgents, shifts to another ward after receiving initial treatment at a hospital in Quetta, Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province, Thursday March 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Arshad Butt)

An injured victim of a passenger train attacked by insurgents, receives treatment upon arrival at a hospital in Quetta, Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province, Thursday March 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Arshad Butt)

Rescue workers transport a coffin containing the body of a victim from a passenger train attacked by insurgents, upon arrival at a railway station in Much, Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province, Thursday March 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

An injured victim of a passenger train attacked by insurgents, receives treatment upon arrival at a hospital in Quetta, Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province, Thursday March 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Arshad Butt)

An injured victim of a passenger train attacked by insurgents, receives treatment upon arrival at a hospital in Quetta, Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province, Thursday March 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Arshad Butt)

Ambulances wait for the arrival of the bodies of victims from a passenger train attacked by insurgents at a railway station in Much, Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province, Thursday March 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

Rescue workers transport a coffin containing the body of a victim from a passenger train attacked by insurgents, upon arrival at a railway station in Much, Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province, Thursday March 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

Rescue workers transport a coffin containing the body of a victim from a passenger train attacked by insurgents, upon arrival at a railway station in Much, Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province, Thursday March 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

Passengers rescued by security forces from a passenger train attacked by insurgents arrive at a railway station in Much, Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province, Thursday March 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

Passengers rescued by security forces from a passenger train attacked by insurgents arrive at a railway station in Much, Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province, Thursday March 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

Rescue workers transport a coffin containing the body of a victim from a passenger train attacked by insurgents, upon arrival at a railway station in Much, Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province, Thursday March 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

Passengers rescued by security forces from a passenger train attacked by insurgents arrive at a railway station in Much, Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province, Thursday March 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

Passengers rescued by security forces from a passenger train attacked by insurgents arrive at a railway station in Much, Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province, Thursday March 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iranians could call abroad on mobile phones Tuesday for the first time since communications were halted during a crackdown on nationwide protests in which activists said at least 646 people have been killed.

Several people in Tehran were able to call The Associated Press and speak to a journalist there. The AP bureau in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, was unable to call those numbers back. The witnesses said SMS text messaging still was down and that internet users in Iran could connect to government-approved websites locally but nothing abroad.

The witnesses gave a brief glimpse into life on the streets of the Iranian capital over the four and a half days of being cut off from the world. They described seeing a heavy security presence in central Tehran.

Anti-riot police officers, wearing helmets and body armor, carried batons, shields, shotguns and tear gas launchers. They stood watch at major intersections. Nearby, the witnesses saw members of the Revolutionary Guard's all-volunteer Basij force, who similarly carried firearms and batons. Security officials in plainclothes were visible in public spaces as well.

Several banks and government offices were burned during the unrest, they said. ATMs had been smashed and banks struggled to complete transactions without the internet, the witnesses added.

However, shops were open, though there was little foot traffic in the capital. Tehran's Grand Bazaar, where the demonstrations began Dec. 28, was to open Tuesday. However, a witness described speaking to multiple shopkeepers who said the security forces ordered them to reopen no matter what. Iranian state media had not acknowledged that order.

The witnesses spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal.

Many remain concerned about a possible military strike by the U.S., even as President Donald Trump has said Iran wants to negotiate with Washington.

“My customers talk about Trump’s reaction while wondering if he plans a military strike against the Islamic Republic,” said shopkeeper Mahmoud, who gave just his first name out of concerns for his safety. “I don’t expect Trump or any other foreign country cares about the interests of Iranians.”

Reza, a taxi driver who also gave just his first name, said protests also remain front of mind for many.

“People — particularly young ones — are hopeless but they talk about continuing the protests," he said.

Meanwhile, it appeared that security service personnel were searching for Starlink terminals as people in northern Tehran reported authorities raiding apartment buildings with satellite dishes. While satellite television dishes are illegal, many in the capital have them in their homes and officials broadly had given up on enforcing the law in recent years.

On the streets, people also could be seen challenging plainclothes security officials, who were stopping passersby at random.

State television also read a statement about mortuary and morgue services being free — a signal some likely charged high fees for the release of bodies amid the crackdown.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, speaking to the Qatar-funded satellite news network Al Jazeera in an interview aired Monday night, said he continued to communicate with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff.

The communication “continued before and after the protests and are still ongoing," Araghchi said. However, “Washington’s proposed ideas and threats against our country are incompatible.”

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Iran’s public rhetoric diverges from the private messaging the administration has received from Tehran in recent days.

“I think the president has an interest in exploring those messages,” Leavitt said. “However, with that said, the president has shown he’s unafraid to use military options if and when he deems necessary, and nobody knows that better than Iran.”

Meanwhile, pro-government demonstrators flooded the streets Monday in support of the theocracy, a show of force after days of protests directly challenging the rule of 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iranian state television aired chants from the crowd, which appeared to number in the tens of thousands, who shouted “Death to America!” and “Death to Israel!”

Others cried out, “Death to the enemies of God!” Iran’s attorney general has warned that anyone taking part in protests will be considered an “enemy of God,” a death-penalty charge.

Trump announced Monday that countries doing business with Iran will face 25% tariffs from the United States. Trump announced the tariffs in a social media posting, saying they would be “effective immediately.”

It was action against Iran for the protest crackdown from Trump, who believes exacting tariffs can be a useful tool in prodding friends and foes on the global stage to bend to his will.

Brazil, China, Russia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates are among economies that do business with Tehran.

Trump said Sunday that his administration was in talks to set up a meeting with Tehran, but cautioned that he may have to act first as reports of the death toll in Iran mount and the government continues to arrest protesters.

“I think they’re tired of being beat up by the United States,” Trump said. “Iran wants to negotiate.”

Iran, through the country’s parliamentary speaker, warned Sunday that the U.S. military and Israel would be “legitimate targets” if Washington uses force to protect demonstrators.

More than 10,700 people also have been detained over the two weeks of protests, said the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which has been accurate in previous unrest in recent years and gave the latest death toll early Tuesday. It relies on supporters in Iran crosschecking information. It said 512 of the dead were protesters and 134 were security force members.

With the internet down in Iran, gauging the demonstrations from abroad has grown more difficult. The Associated Press has been unable to independently assess the toll. Iran’s government hasn’t offered overall casualty figures.

This frame grab from videos taken between Jan. 9 and Jan. 11, 2026, and circulating on social media purportedly shows images from a morgue with dozens of bodies and mourners after crackdown on the outskirts of Iran's capital, in Kahrizak, Tehran Province. (UGC via AP)

A picture of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is set alight by protesters outside the Iranian Embassy in London, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

In this frame grab from footage circulating on social media shows protesters dancing and cheering around a bonfire as they take to the streets despite an intensifying crackdown as the Islamic Republic remains cut off from the rest of the world, in Tehran, Iran, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026.(UGC via AP)

In this frame grab from footage circulating on social media from Iran showed protesters once again taking to the streets of Tehran despite an intensifying crackdown as the Islamic Republic remains cut off from the rest of the world in Tehran, Iran, Saturday Jan. 10, 2026. (UGC via AP)

FILE - Protesters march on a bridge in Tehran, Iran, on Dec. 29, 2025. (Fars News Agency via AP, File)