URGENT UPDATE: The United States has just announced the designation of the Pakistan-based separatist group Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its suicide attack unit, the Majeed Brigade, as foreign terrorist organizations. This critical decision, made on August 11, 2023, follows years of escalating violence linked to the BLA’s insurgency in Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest province.
The U.S. State Department’s designation expands upon the 2019 classification of the BLA as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT). The Majeed Brigade, notorious for its brutal suicide attacks, has been implicated in a surge of violence aimed at destabilizing the region.
According to reports from West Point’s Terrorism Center, the Baloch insurgency has intensified significantly this year. In a shocking incident on March 11, the BLA hijacked the Jaffar Express passenger train, resulting in the kidnapping of 400 hostages and the tragic deaths of at least 26 individuals. The BLA has also claimed responsibility for multiple suicide attacks targeting Chinese workers and enterprises, as the group vehemently opposes the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized the importance of these designations, stating, “Terrorist designations play a critical role in our fight against this scourge and are an effective way to curtail support for terrorist activities.” The implications are immediate, as this new designation prohibits U.S. citizens from providing any support to the BLA, tightening the noose around the group’s activities.
The urgency of this announcement comes just weeks after the State Department designated another group, The Resistance Front, as a proxy of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Tayyiba. This increasing focus on terrorist organizations operating in Pakistan highlights a broader strategy to combat terrorism in the region.
As the situation develops, the international community will be watching closely to see how these designations impact the BLA’s operations and the security situation in Balochistan. Stay tuned for the latest updates on this evolving story.
