The USA has designated Baloch separatists as a terrorist organization

• The USA has designated the Baloch Liberation Army as a terrorist organization.
• The designation occurred during a visit by the Pakistani military leadership to the USA.
• Separatists in Balochistan continue to attack foreign companies and local forces.

The USA has designated the Baloch separatist group as a terrorist organization, announced the State Department. This decision was positively received by Pakistani officials.

The designation comes after a visit by the Pakistani army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, to the USA.

The designation occurred less than two weeks after the signing of a trade agreement between Washington and Islamabad. This agreement stipulates that American companies will help develop untapped oil resources in Balochistan and reduce trade tariffs for Pakistan.

The State Department noted that "it designates the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and its affiliate, the Brigade of Majid, as a terrorist organization." The BLA was first designated as a terrorist organization in 2019 after several attacks. Since then, the group and the Brigade of Majid have taken responsibility for new attacks.

In 2024, the BLA took responsibility for a terrorist-suicide bombing near the airport in Karachi and in the port city of Gwadar. In 2025, the group claimed to have hijacked a passenger bus from Jaffar Express, which was traveling from Quetta to Peshawar, resulting in the deaths of 31 civilians and a security service worker, while around 300 passengers were taken hostage.

The statement from the State Department underscores the obligation of the Trump administration to combat terrorism. Since the designation of the BLA as a terrorist organization, Balochistan remains a zone of uprising, where militants associated with the Pakistani Taliban are also active.

Separatists in Balochistan are acting against the exploitation of resources by foreign and Pakistani companies, aiming to inflict damage on Pakistani security forces and Chinese citizens working on projects related to China and Pakistan.

Tags: USA/Politics