Balochistan Liberation Army

Baloch Liberation Army
بلۏچستان آجوییء لشکر
Leader	Aslam Baloch, alias Achu † (2006–2018)[1][2] Bashir Zeb (2018–present)[3][4] Razzaq Mandali, alias Engineer †[5][6] Balach Marri † Akbar Bugti † (alleged)[7][8] Hyrbyair Marri (alleged)[9][10]
Foundation	2000
Country	Pakistan Afghanistan[11]
Group(s)	Majeed Brigade
Motives	Secession of Balochistan from Pakistan[12]
Headquarters	Kandahar, Afghanistan (until 2021)[1][13]
Active regions	Pakistan Sindh[14] Balochistan  Iran Sistan and Baluchestan[15]
Ideology	Baloch nationalism Separatism[16] Secularism[17] Anti-Punjabi sentiment[18] Anti-Chinese sentiment[19][20][21]
Major actions	Assassination, suicide bombing,[22][23] attacks against civilians and paramilitary forces,[24] kidnapping and ethnic cleansing[25][26][27]
Status	Active
Size	600 (2020)[8][28]
Allies	State allies:  India (alleged by Pakistan, but denied by India)[29]  Afghanistan (2002‑2021)[13] Non-state allies: Pakistani Taliban (alleged)[30]
Opponents	Pakistan  China[31]
Designated as a terrorist group by	Pakistan  Iran  China  United Kingdom  United States  United Nations  European Union
Flag
Preceded by Baluch Liberation Front (founded 1964)[12]

The Balochistan Liberation Army (Balochi: بلۏچستان آجوییء لشکر; also known as the Baloch Liberation Army, abbreviated BLA) is a Baloch ethnonationalist militant organization based in the Baluchistan region of Afghanistan.^{[25][26][27][32]} Operating primarily from safe havens scattered across southern Afghanistan, BLA perpetrates attacks in neighboring Pakistan's Balochistan province, which it seeks to remove from Pakistani sovereignty. It frequently targets Pakistan Armed Forces, civilians and foreign nationals.^[33][34]

BLA's first recorded activity was in mid-2000, when it claimed credit for a series of bombings against Pakistani authorities.^[25][35] BLA is listed as a terrorist organization by Pakistan,^[36] China,^[37] Iran,^[37] the United Kingdom,^[38] the United States,^[39][40] and the European Union.^[41]