The United States has formally designated the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its armed faction, the Majeed Brigade, as Foreign Terrorist Organisations (FTOs), the State Department confirmed on Monday.
The BLA has been on Washington’s Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) list since 2019, but the latest decision elevates it to FTO status under Section 219 of the US Immigration and Nationality Act. The Majeed Brigade — known as the group’s dedicated suicide unit — has now been officially recognised as an alias under that same designation.
US officials cited a string of deadly operations claimed by the two outfits in recent years. These include the 2024 suicide bombings near Karachi airport and at the Gwadar Port Authority Complex, as well as the March 2025 hijacking of the Jaffar Express, in which 31 civilians and security personnel were killed and more than 300 passengers taken hostage.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the move reflected President Donald Trump’s determination to combat terrorism worldwide. “Designations like this are crucial tools to cut off support for terrorist groups,” he said.
Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti hailed the decision, crediting the federal government and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir for effectively making Pakistan’s case in Washington. “These outfits have spilled innocent blood under the false pretext of rights and ethnicity. Terrorism is terrorism — the world must unite against it,” he remarked.
We welcome the US decision to designate BLA & its alias Majeed Brigade as terrorist outfits. Credit to the Federal Government & Field Marshal Asim Munir for presenting Pakistan’s case to the US administration. These groups have long shed innocent blood under the false cover of… https://t.co/Udd3wGIUY0
— Sarfraz Bugti (@PakSarfrazbugti) August 11, 2025
The decision comes amid signs of a thaw in Pakistan-US relations, with Field Marshal Munir concluding his second visit to the United States in just six weeks.