Washington, D.C. – The United States has officially designated the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its armed wing, the ‘Majeed Brigade,’ as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs). The announcement, made by the US Department of State, is a significant move that builds upon the BLA’s previous designation as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) entity in 2019. The Majeed Brigade was also added as an alias to the BLA’s classification.
The designation comes in response to a series of violent attacks for which the BLA has claimed responsibility, including suicide bombings and a high-profile train hijacking. According to the State Department’s statement, these actions “have continued to threaten the security of civilians and disrupt stability in the region.” The statement also cited specific incidents, such as suicide attacks near Karachi and the Gwadar Port Authority Complex in 2024, and the hijacking of the Jaffar Express train in March 2025, which resulted in the deaths of dozens of civilians and security personnel.
The BLA is a separatist group that has been engaged in a decades-long insurgency against the Pakistani government, demanding independence for the mineral-rich Balochistan province. The Majeed Brigade is its special operations wing, known for carrying out high-profile, often suicide, attacks.
The FTO designation has several important implications. It allows the US government to freeze the group’s assets, criminalize any support for its activities within the United States, and enhances cooperation with other countries to dismantle its operations. The move is seen as a strong show of support for Pakistan, which has long accused the BLA of terrorism.
The designation of the BLA as an FTO by the US follows similar actions taken by Pakistan and the United Kingdom, who have also proscribed the group. The US announcement highlights the international commitment to countering terrorism and disrupting the networks that finance and support such groups.
