The US State Department has added the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and its “suicide unit”, the Majeed Brigade, to its “Foreign Terrorist Organization” list. The designation also lists the Majeed Brigade as an alias to the BLA’s existing “Specially Designated Global Terrorist” (SDGT) status.
In a statement on Monday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the action demonstrates the Trump administration’s “commitment to countering terrorism”, adding, “Terrorist designations play a critical role in our fight against this scourge and are an effective way to curtail support for terrorist activities.”
The State Department said the BLA was first designated as an SDGT in 2019 after claiming responsibility for multiple attacks. Since then, it said, the group has admitted to carrying out further operations, including “suicide attacks” by the Majeed Brigade.
“In 2024, BLA claimed it had committed suicide attacks near the airport in Karachi and the Gwadar Port Authority Complex. In 2025, BLA claimed responsibility for the March hijacking of the Jaffar Express train travelling from Quetta to Peshawar, killing 31 civilians and security personnel and holding hostage over 300 train passengers,” the statement said.
According to the State Department, the designations were made under section 219 of the US Immigration and Nationality Act and Executive Order 13224, and take effect upon publication in the Federal Register.