SAEDNEWS: The US State Department announced the designation of the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its fighting wing, the Majeed Brigade, for several terrorist attacks over the years.
The United States has designated a Baloch separatist group, based in Pakistan, as a foreign terrorist organization over deadly terrorist attacks in Balochistan province.
In a statement on Monday, the US State Department announced the designation of the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its fighting wing, the Majeed Brigade, for several terrorist attacks over the years.
“BLA was designated as an SDGT in 2019 following several terrorist attacks. Since 2019, BLA has claimed responsibility for additional attacks, including by the Majeed Brigade,” the statement read.
The designation coincided with the visit of Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, to the US. It also came after the two countries reached a trade deal expected to allow American firms to help develop Pakistan’s oil reserves in Balochistan and to lower trade tariffs for Islamabad.
“In 2024, BLA claimed it had committed suicide attacks near the airport in Karachi and the Gwadar Port Authority Complex,” the State Department said. “In 2025, BLA claimed responsibility for the March hijacking of the Jaffar Express train traveling from Quetta to Peshawar, killing 31 civilians and security personnel and holding hostage over 300 train passengers.”
Balochistan has for years been a hotbed of insurgency, largely attributed to groups such as the banned Baloch Liberation Army. The province also harbors militants affiliated with the Pakistani Taliban.
