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The United States, on Monday (Aug 11), officially designated the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its alias, The Majeed Brigade, as Foreign Terrorist Organisations (FTOs).
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BLA was designated as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) in 2019 following numerous terrorist attacks. Since then, BLA has claimed responsibility for additional attacks, including by the Majeed Brigade, the US State Department said in a statement.
It said that the move reflects “the Trump Administration’s commitment to countering terrorism”.
“Terrorist designations play a critical role in our fight against this scourge and are an effective way to curtail support for terrorist activities,” the statement said.
“Today’s actions are taken pursuant to section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, as amended, and Executive Order 13224, as amended. FTO designations go into effect upon publication in the Federal Register,” it added.
In 2024, BLA asserted involvement in suicide bombings near Karachi airport and the Gwadar Port Authority Complex.
Most recently, in March 2025, the BLA claimed responsibility for hijacking the Jaffar Express train travelling from Quetta to Peshawar, killing 31 civilians and security personnel and holding hostage over 300 train passengers.
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Last month, the US Department of State designated The Resistance Front (TRF) as a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT).
TRF, a proxy outfit of the Lashkar-e-Taiba, had claimed responsibility of the brutal April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in India, which killed 26 people, including tourists.
“TRF and other associated aliases have been added to LeT’s designation as a FTO and SDGT pursuant to section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act and Executive Order 13224, respectively. The Department of State has also reviewed and maintained the FTO designation of LeT. Amendments to FTO designations go into effect upon publication in the Federal Register,” the state department said in a statement.
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