Washington — The United States has designated the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its faction, the Majeed Brigade, as Foreign Terrorist Organisations (FTOs), the State Department said on Monday.
The Majeed Brigade is now officially listed as an alias under the BLA’s Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) status. This makes it a crime in the US to provide the groups with any form of support.
The US first designated the BLA as an SDGT in 2019 after multiple terrorist attacks. Since then, the group has claimed more violent acts, including those carried out by the Majeed Brigade.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the move highlights the Trump administration’s commitment to fighting terrorism. “Terrorist designations play a critical role in our fight against this scourge and are an effective way to curtail support for terrorist activities,” he said.
In July, Pakistan urged the global community to adopt fair and non-discriminatory policies against terrorism. It also called for the Majeed Brigade, identified as a BLA alias, to be included in international terrorist lists.
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