United States labels Majeed Brigade as a designated terrorist group
Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and Majeed Brigade Designated as Terrorist Organisations
The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its armed wing, the Majeed Brigade, have been designated as terrorist organisations by the United States. The designations, made under Section 219 of the US Immigration and Nationality Act and Executive Order 13224, will take effect upon publication in the Federal Register.
The BLA, a separatist militant group seeking independence for Balochistan from Pakistan, has been responsible for numerous attacks on Pakistani security forces, government officials, civilians, and Chinese nationals involved in major infrastructure projects like the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. The Majeed Brigade, established in 2010, is the armed wing of the BLA, named after Baloch nationalists Majeed Langove Senior and his younger brother.
The Majeed Brigade has been involved in sophisticated attacks, including suicide bombings and assassinations targeting the Pakistan Army, police, and civilians. Since 2018, it has conducted at least 12 suicide attacks, including the 2011 bombing targeting Shafeeq Mengal and the 2020 Pakistan Stock Exchange attack. The BLA, first designated as an SDGT in 2019, has also claimed responsibility for various terrorist attacks since its designation.
In 2024, the BLA claimed responsibility for suicide bombings near Karachi airport and the Gwadar Port Authority Complex. In November 2024, a Quetta Railway Station bombing killed 32 and injured over 50, with alleged facilitation by a university professor. In March 2025, the BLA hijacked and seized the Jaffar Express train from Quetta to Peshawar, resulting in the death of 31 civilians and security personnel and the hostage of over 300 passengers.
The US designations of the BLA and Majeed Brigade as Foreign Terrorist Organisations (FTOs) and their reaffirmation as Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) entities are intended to help curtail support for their activities. These designations subject the groups and their affiliates to US sanctions, including denial of access to financial systems. The BLA and Majeed Brigade are also banned terrorist organisations in Pakistan and the United Kingdom.
Pakistan accuses India of supporting the BLA, a claim denied by India. The US designations came amid heightened Pakistani security concerns following recent deadly attacks and coincide with growing US-Pakistan cooperation on resource development in Balochistan. The State Department has urged a global drive to block flows of illicit arms to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the BLA. The latest designations are a demonstration of the United States' commitment to countering terrorism.
- Thedesignation of the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and the Majeed Brigade as terrorist organizations by the United States highlights the country's ongoing efforts in the war-and-conflicts and crime-and-justice sectors, which often intersect with general-news and politics, particularly in regions like Balochistan.
- These designations also highlight the need for increased international cooperation and stricter regulations, especially in the realm of politics and general-news, to mitigate the impact and spread of terrorists groups like the BLA and Majeed Brigade.
