US designates BLA & Majeed Brigade as foreign terrorist organizations

WASHINGTON: The United States of America (USA) has officially designated the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its military wing, the Majeed Brigade, as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs), citing their continued involvement in deadly attacks across Pakistan.

The U.S. State Department announced the move on Monday, adding the Majeed Brigade as an alias to the BLA’s existing Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) status, which was first implemented in 2019.

The BLA was initially designated as an SDGT in 2019 after carrying out several terrorist attacks in Pakistan. Since then, the group has claimed responsibility for a number of high-profile attacks, including suicide bombings and armed operations.

In 2024, the BLA claimed responsibility for suicide attacks near Karachi Airport and the Gwadar Port Authority Complex. Earlier this year, his Majeed Brigade faction claimed responsibility for the hijacking of the Jaffar Express train from Quetta to Peshawar in March, which killed 31 civilians and security personnel and took more than 300 passengers hostage.

A statement from the US State Department stressed that the designation reflects the Trump administration’s commitment to combating terrorism and reducing the resources of militant networks.

“Terrorist designations play a critical role in our fight against this scourge and are an effective way to reduce support for terrorist activities,” the statement said.

The designation was created under Section 219 of the US Immigration and Nationality Act and Executive Order 13224, both as amended. The FTO designation will take effect upon its publication in the Federal Register.