WASHINGTON: The United States has officially classified the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its affiliated faction, the Majeed Brigade, as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO), the US State Department announced on Monday. This designation also includes the Majeed Brigade as an alias linked to the BLA’s earlier listing as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) group.
The BLA, designated as an SDGT in 2019, has claimed responsibility for numerous violent incidents, including suicide bombings carried out by the Majeed Brigade. In 2024, the group claimed responsibility for deadly attacks near Karachi airport and at the Gwadar Port Authority Complex.
Earlier this year, the BLA also took responsibility for hijacking the Jaffar Express train in March, which resulted in 31 fatalities among civilians and security personnel, and involved taking over 300 passengers hostage.US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that these designations reinforce the Trump administration’s commitment to combating terrorism. He emphasized that such measures are crucial for disrupting terrorist networks and their support systems.
The US move follows Pakistan’s recent request in July to list the BLA and Majeed Brigade as terrorist entities, after the US designated The Resistance Front over its alleged role in the April 22 attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), which resulted in 26 deaths. India blamed Pakistan for the attack, leading to heightened tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, a charge Pakistan denies.
Pakistan has labeled the BLA and Majeed Brigade as “Fitna al-Hindustan,” asserting that these groups operate with Indian backing to destabilize the region. The Pakistani Foreign Office has reiterated its role as a key player in counter-terrorism efforts and its contributions toward global peace.
Intelligence sources quoted by The News earlier indicated that India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) has deployed proxies in Balochistan, including groups like the BLA, to incite violence and carry out terror activities in strategic locations such as Gwadar, Quetta, and Khuzdar
