US increases pressure on Pakistani opposition groups.
The US State Department has issued a statement announcing that it has designated the separatist group Balochistan Liberation Army and its special forces unit Majeed Brigade as foreign terrorist organizations.
The move comes as part of the US government’s pledge to counter terrorism and support regional security with Pakistan.
The separatist group has reportedly been responsible for several deadly attacks, including suicide bombings near Karachi’s airport and the strategic port of Gwadar. In 2025, the separatist group claimed responsibility for the hijacking of the Jafar Express train, which killed 31 people and took more than 300 hostages.
Balochistan is of great economic and strategic importance to Pakistan due to its rich mineral resources and China’s extensive investment in the Gwadar port.
Michael Kugelman, a senior fellow at the Wilson Center, recently wrote in The Times of India about one of the most complex aspects of security diplomacy in South Asia. He explained that while the United States has strengthened its ties with India to counter China, it still relies on security cooperation with Pakistan to counter terrorist threats.