US-made weapons found in Jaffar Express hijack site, Washington Post claims

BALOCHISTAN: The US-made weapons were used in Jaffar Express attack, ARY News cited The Washington Post report on Monday.

The attack took place on March 11, when the Peshawar-bound Jaffar Express -- carrying 440 passengers -- was ambushed. Several hostages were taken during the assault, prompting a two-day security operation to neutralize the threat and rescue the captives.

Weapons were left behind by United States forces following their 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan. Among the weapons recovered from the scene was an M4A1 carbine rifle manufactured by Colt, an American arms maker, ARY News reported.

The rifle's serial number confirmed that it was originally supplied to US forces in Afghanistan and later left behind during the chaotic withdrawal, The Washington Post reported stated, as quoted by ARY News.

After an extended investigation, the US Army and the Pentagon confirmed to The Post that at least 63 of the weapons examined by reporters had been officially supplied to Afghan security forces during the US mission in the country.

ISPR Pakistan DG Lt Gen Sharif Chaudhry said on March 13 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.