US designates BLA, MajeedBrigade as terror groups

 

 

UNITED States Secretary of State Marco Rubio has designated the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its front organisation, The Majeed Brigade (TMB), as foreign terrorist organisations (FTO). Making the announcement on Monday, he said that the MTB was also being added as an alias to BTA’s “previous Specially Designated GlobalTerrorist (SDGT) designation”. Majeed Brigade, is the unconventional operations wing of the Balochistan Liberation Army. The group was established in 2010 and named after Majeed Langove Senior aka Abdul Majeed Baloch. “Today’s action taken by the Department of State demonstrates the T r ump Administration’s commitment to countering terrorism”, he said. “Terrorist designations play a critical role in our fight against this scourge and are an effective waytocurtailsupport forterroristactivities”, he said.

 

He said that the BLA, which was designated as an SDGT in 2019 has since claimed responsibility for terrorist activities,including those by the MTB. He cited the March hijacking of the Jaffar Express train travelling from Quetta to Peshawar, during which 31 civilians and security personnel were killed, and more than 300 passengers were held hostage. The announcement coincided with Pakistan military chief Asim Munir’s visit to the US. His visit was ostensibly to attend a farewell event for US General Michael Kurilla, who was leaving the post of commander of the Central Command (CENTCOM), whichcoversPakistan,in addition to the Middle East and Central Asia. According to the Pentagon, an event was held in Tampa, Florida,onFriday tobidKurilla farewell and welcome his successor Admiral Brad Cooper. Public schedules for the Departments of Defence and State, and theWhiteHouse did not list any meetings for him with officials in Washington Friday through Thursday. The FTO designation bans material or financial support for the organisations, freezes their assets, and restricts the travel of their members.

 

The Treasury Department’s OfficeofForeignAssetsControl (OFAC) makes the SDGT designation which blocks the group’s assets within the US and prohibits transactions with it. Balochs are fighting forbasic human rights in Pakistan, battling enforceddisappearances, extrajudicial killings, and systematic repression. BALOCH ARE NOT TERRORISTS, BUT VICTIMS OF PAKSPONSORED TERRORISM: HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST: AFTER the US designated the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its front organisation, The Majeed Brigade (TMB), as foreign terrorist organisations (FTO), a leading humanrightsactivistslammed thedecision,stating theBaloch are not the terrorists but a victim of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. Balochhumanrightsdefender Mir Yar Baloch stated that Balochistan has endured 78 long years of state-sponsored terrorism, economic plunder, radioactive poisoning from Pakistan’snucleartests,foreign invasion, and “brutal occupation” by extremist Pakistan.