The United States has officially designated the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), an insurgent group seeking independence for Pakistan’s southwestern province of Balochistan, and its armed wing, the Majeed Brigade, as terrorist organizations. The announcement was made by the US Department of State in a statement on Monday.
According to the statement, the BLA has been added to the list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO), while the Majeed Brigade has been designated as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) entity. The BLA was first placed on the SDGT list in 2019.
The State Department said the group carried out several deadly attacks despite being under sanctions. In 2024, the BLA claimed responsibility for suicide bombings near Karachi Airport and at the Gwadar Port Authority offices in Balochistan. In March 2025, the group and its Majeed Brigade unit seized the Quetta–Peshawar-bound Zafar Express train, killing 31 civilians and taking around 300 passengers hostage.
Under US law, designation as an FTO or SDGT triggers restrictions including a ban on entry into the United States, asset freezes, and the possibility of military action against the designated individuals or groups.
The announcement came as Pakistan’s army chief, General Asim Munir, was on an official visit to Washington. Baloch nationalist and separatist groups have yet to respond publicly to the US decision.
Sources: US State Department, Al Jazeera, The Washington Post, ABC News.