The United States on Monday officially designated the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its alias, the Majeed Brigade, as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO), marking a significant step in its ongoing counterterrorism efforts in South Asia.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed the designation, stating that the BLA, previously listed as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) group since 2019, has claimed responsibility for multiple attacks since then, including those carried out by the Majeed Brigade. The addition of the Majeed Brigade as an alias expands the scope of the designation.
The BLA and its faction have been involved in a series of violent incidents, including suicide bombings near Karachi airport and the Gwadar Port Authority Complex in 2024. In March 2025, the group claimed responsibility for hijacking the Jaffar Express train from Quetta to Peshawar, resulting in 31 deaths and over 300 passengers held hostage.
Secretary Rubio emphasised that these designations play a vital role in disrupting terrorist financing and support networks. “Today’s actions demonstrate the US commitment to counterterrorism and limiting resources to violent groups,” he said.
The BLA has been waging a decades-long insurgency seeking independence for Balochistan, a mineral-rich province of Pakistan. The group accuses the Pakistani government of exploiting the region’s resources and marginalising the ethnic Baloch community. Both the US and Pakistan have designated the BLA as a terrorist organisation.
In a related move last month, the US designated The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of Lashkar-e-Taiba responsible for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation, further reflecting Washington’s efforts to combat terrorism in the region.