US designates Balochistan Liberation Army, Majeed Brigade as terror groups
PTC News Desk: The United States on Monday designated Baloch Liberation Army and its alias Majeed Brigade as Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO). The Majeed Brigade was also added as an alias to the BLA’s previous Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) classification.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed the move in a press statement, saying, "Since 2019, BLA has claimed responsibility for additional attacks, including by the Majeed Brigade."
According to the US State Department, the BLA claimed responsibility for several deadly terror attacks near Karachi airport and the Gwadar Port Authority Complex in 2024. The group also claimed responsibilty of hijacking the Jaffar Express train earlier travelling from Quetta to Peshawar earlier this year. The incident claimed lives of 31 civilians and security personnel. More than 300 passengers were held hostage during the attack.
"These violent actions have continued to threaten the security of civilians and disrupt stability in the region," the statement noted.
"Today’s action taken by the Department of State demonstrates the Trump Administration’s commitment to countering terrorism. Terrorist designations play a critical role in our fight against this scourge and are an effective way to curtail support for terrorist activities," the statement added.
The Baloch Liberation Army, which is a rebelion group against Pakistani government, has been demanding independence for its mineral-rich province.
The designation will lets the US government freeze the group’s assets, criminalise support for its activities, and cooperate with other countries to shut down its operations.
- With inputs from agencies
