The US State Department on Monday designated the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its alias, The Majeed Brigade, as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO).
US Designates BLA as Foreign Terrorist Organisation
The US State Department on Monday designated the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its alias, The Majeed Brigade, as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO). It added the Majeed Brigade as an alias to the BLA’s previous Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) designation.
The United States had designated BLA as an SDGT in 2019 after several terrorist attacks. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a press statement, “Since 2019, BLA has claimed responsibility for additional attacks, including by the Majeed Brigade.” He noted that BLA claimed suicide attacks near the airport in Karachi and the Gwadar Port Authority Complex in 2024. In 2025, the group claimed responsibility for the hijacking of the Peshawar-bound Jaffar Express train from Quetta in March, leaving 31 civilians and security personnel dead and holding more than 300 passengers hostage.
BLA, which has been designated as a terrorist organisation by both the US and Pakistan, has been engaged in a decades-long insurgency against the Pakistan government, seeking independence for its natural resource-rich province.
Background on the Groups
- Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA): Formed in the early 2000s with goals ranging from resource control to independence for Balochistan, the BLA has been labeled a terrorist group by multiple jurisdictions—including the U.S.—since 2019.
- Majeed Brigade: The BLA’s operational arm, established around 2010, tasked with carrying out militant attacks. It has now been officially merged into the BLA’s FTO designation.
Significance & Next Steps
The U.S. FTO listing enables stronger sanctions, tighter enforcement, and increased global scrutiny of any entities or individuals associated with the BLA or Majeed Brigade. It also signals deepening U.S.–Pakistan security cooperation.
Moving forward, this could impact regional geopolitics, foreign investment in Balochistan, and law enforcement actions against sympathizers both domestically and internationally.
