The U.S. Department of State has announced the designation of the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and its armed wing, the Majeed Brigade, as Foreign Terrorist Organizations.
This decision coincides with the visit of Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff, General Asim Munir, to the United States.
The BLA is considered the most powerful armed separatist group operating in Pakistan’s Balochistan province. It accuses the Pakistani state of plundering the region’s natural resources and wages an armed struggle for independence.
The group gained international attention in March when it attacked a passenger train traveling from Quetta to Peshawar, taking dozens of hostages and inflicting casualties on Pakistani security forces.
According to U.S. officials, the BLA claimed responsibility for the train hijacking, during which 31 civilians and security personnel were killed and over 300 passengers were taken hostage.
It is worth noting that the BLA has long been regarded by Pakistan’s military as one of its most serious security threats.
🇺🇸 U.S. Designates Baloch Liberation Army as Foreign Terrorist Organization
