US Declares Balochistan Liberation Army, Majeed Brigade Foreign Terrorist Organisations

<p>The United States Department of State has announced the designation of the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its faction, the Majeed Brigade, as Foreign Terrorist Organisations (FTOs). The Majeed Brigade has also been listed as an alias under the BLA&rsquo;s existing Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) status, which was first imposed in 2019 following multiple attacks.</p>
<p>According to the order issued by the Department of State, the BLA has claimed responsibility for several deadly incidents since 2019, including attacks carried out by the Majeed Brigade. These include suicide bombings in 2024 near Karachi airport and the Gwadar Port Authority Complex. In 2025, the group claimed responsibility for hijacking the Jaffar Express train travelling from Quetta to Peshawar, killing 31 civilians and security personnel, and holding over 300 passengers hostage.</p>
<p>The Department said the decision, taken under section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act and Executive Order 13224, demonstrates the Trump Administration&rsquo;s resolve to combat terrorism. &ldquo;Terrorist designations play a critical role in our fight against this scourge and are an effective way to curtail support for terrorist activities,&rdquo; the statement read.</p>
<h3><strong>Three Pakistani soldiers killed in Balochistan blast</strong></h3>
<p>In a separate development, three Pakistani Army personnel &mdash; including a major &mdash; were killed in a roadside bomb attack in Balochistan&rsquo;s Nushki district in a recent attack, The Balochistan Post (TBP) reported.</p>
<p>The blast, which occurred at around 8:00 pm local time in the Gargina area last Tuesday, struck a bulletproof military vehicle with an improvised explosive device (IED). The victims were identified by TBP as Major Rizwan, Naib Subedar Ameen, and Lance Naik Younis. Three other personnel suffered serious injuries.</p>
<p>BLA spokesperson Jeeyand Baloch claimed responsibility, stating that the assault was an &ldquo;intelligence-based operation&rdquo; targeting Major Rizwan&rsquo;s convoy. He said, &ldquo;The Baloch Liberation Army claims full responsibility for this attack,&rdquo; and added that the IED was detonated remotely, with coordinates provided by the group&rsquo;s intelligence wing, &ldquo;ZIRAB&rdquo;.</p>
<h3><strong>Surge in attacks on senior Pakistani officers</strong></h3>
<p>TBP noted that the strike in Nushki is part of a series of high-profile assaults against Pakistani security forces in the province. Since mid-July, at least four officers of major rank have been killed in separate incidents.</p>
<p>In Awaran district, Major Syed Rabnawaz Tariq died in an ambush claimed by the Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF). In Quetta, Major Anwar Kakar was killed in a magnetic bomb explosion near Jabal-e-Noor, attributed to the BLA&rsquo;s Special Tactical Operations Squad (STOS). In Mastung, Major Zaid Saleem was fatally injured during prolonged clashes with BLA fighters.</p>
<p>Observers told TBP that the targeted killings of senior officers suggest an upgrade in both the operational and intelligence capabilities of Baloch armed groups. They added that the pattern of strikes appears intended to exert psychological pressure on the Pakistani military.</p>