The United States on Tuesday designed Pakistan’s Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its armed wing, Majeed Brigade as foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs).
Washington said that the group is responsible for deadly attacks in Balochistan, including a train kidnapping in March, killing 31 people.
State Secretary Marco Rubio said in a statement, “Today’s action by the state department shows the Trump administration’s commitment to combat terrorism.”
Pakistan welcomed the designation on Tuesday.
What is behind violence in Balochistan?
Balochistan is the largest but popular province in Pakistan, known as Baloch, Sunni Muslim ethnic minority.
The beginning of the 2000s and a large part of the rich natural resources of the region for autonomy in isolations. The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) is the largest terrorist group operating in the province.
In March, the BLA claimed responsibility for the attack on travel from Quetta to Peshawar, killed 31 civilians and security personnel and took over 300 passengers hostage.
Pakistan says that there is a source of extremism in it, but violence continues in Balochistan. According to the army, in the last one week, 50 terrorists were killed by soldiers in Zobe district.
On Monday, at least nine Pakistani soldiers died when dozens of militants attacked a police station and Seema Bal complex in South -Western Balochistan.
Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry Foreign Ministry said in a statement, “Pakistan remains a firm bubble against terrorism. Our sacrifices have secured not only for the country, but also for regional stability and global security, significant replication successes.”
Why is America now focusing on BLA?
The US first labeled a terrorist group to BLA in 2019. Now, it formally nominated the group as a foreign terrorist organization – a speed analyst says the investigation of its supporters in the US and Europe will be tightened.
The designation matches the visit to Washington by Field Marshal Asim Munir, Pakistan’s Army Chief. It is therefore less than two, when the US and Pakistan signed a trade agreement, which was expected to help American firms to help develop a large-scale underlying oil reserves of Pakistan in resource-rich Balochistan.
Separates in Balochistan have opposed the extraction of resources by Pakistani and foreign firms and targeted Pakistani security forces and Chinese nationals working on multibibilian dollars projects.
Edited by: dmytro hubenko
