Separatist fighters hijacked a train in southwestern Pakistan on Tuesday, holding passengers hostage for about 36 hours. Pakistani forces on Wednesday declared that they had lifted passengers and ended the crisis with rescue operations that led to the deaths of more than 30 militants.
There's something you need to know about the group behind the attack, the Baroque Liberation Army.
What is BLA?
The Baroque Liberation Army, or BLA, is an extremist separatist group operating in the province of Balochistan, Pakistan, defending an independent province of Baroque. The group has escalated attacks in recent years, particularly targeting security forces, infrastructure and foreign investments from China. The BLA's operations are part of a wider uprising that has been boiling for decades in one of Pakistan's most unstable regions.
Who are the people of the Baroque?
The Baroque people are ethnic groups that originate from the region spanning the Balochistan province of Pakistan, southeastern Iran and southern Afghanistan. They have a distinct linguistic, cultural and tribal identity with their own language belonging to the Iranian linguistic family, with their own language, Baloch.
Historically, the Baroque has maintained a seminomadic and tribal lifestyle with a deep tradition of autonomy. Many Baroque nationalists argue that their regions are marginalized by the central government, leading to long-standing complaints of economic deprivation, political exclusion and military repression.
Quetta, Pakistan's capital, Balochistan's capital, was at the heart of the conflict. The strategic location near the Afghan border has become a key site for trade, governance and security operations.
Balochistan is Pakistan's largest state in land area, covering around 44% of the country's territories. However, it is the least populous state, with only 6-7% of Pakistan's total population.
What are the recent attacks from BLA?
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The dramatic escalation in BLA's tactics came with the hijacking of a passenger train carrying more than 400 passengers on Tuesday. The militants remotely stopped trains, seized hostages and burned several cars before security forces could intervene.
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A fatal bombing at a Quetta railway station in November 2024 killed dozens and injured many others, marking one of Pakistan's most devastating attacks in recent years. The BLA claimed responsibility, claiming it was a response to military operations in Balochistan.
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Last year, the BLA allegedly blamed the fatal bombing targeting a fleet carrying Chinese citizens near the international airport in Karachi, Pakistan's largest city.
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In 2022, Shari Baloch, the 30-year-old mother of two children, exploded a suicide bomb in Karachi, killing three other four people, including three Chinese teachers.
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The BLA attacked the Karachi Stock Exchange building, partially owned by a Chinese consortium in 2020 and owned by the Chinese consulate in Karachi in 2018.
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The BLA has repeatedly targeted Chinese workers and engineers involved in projects under the economic corridors of China and Pakistan. The attacks include shootings, suicide bombings and ambushings of convoys transporting Chinese people.
Why is BLA opposed to Chinese investment projects?
The BLA views Chinese investment as exploitative and a threat to Baroque autonomy. They repeatedly attacked Chinese citizens and projects, particularly projects related to the economic corridors of China and Pakistan. Balochistan has major CPEC infrastructures such as the Port of Gwadar. The attacks on Chinese citizens, construction sites and infrastructure projects aim to disrupt these economic ventures and send a message to Beijing about the costs of involvement in Balochistan. The BLA framed the campaign as a fight against “colonial style” economic extraction.
Is Bra a Muslim group?
no. Unlike many other extremist groups operating in Pakistan, the BLA is a secular separatist movement seeking independence in Balochistan, rather than establishing an Islamic state. Its ideology is rooted in Baroque nationalism, and its complaints mainly relate to political autonomy, economic control over local resources, and opposition to what is considered exploitation by the Pakistani state.
When did the conflict begin?
The Balochistan conflict dates back to 1947, when Pakistan gained independence and incorporated Balochistan. Since then, there have been multiple uprisings in the area, with major uprisings occurring in the 1950s, 1970s and early 2000s.
The recent rebellion continues today. By 2020, the Baroque rebellion had been significantly weakened by years of counterinsurgency operations, rifts between separatist groups, fatigue, and government incentives for extremists to abandon their arms.
However, Pakistan's tally shows that the strength and frequency of attacks began to increase sharply in 2021. In 2021, the number of Balochistan terrorist attacks almost doubled in 2021 compared to 2021.
How did Pakistan respond to the rebellion?
Baroque separatism is just one of the forces that threaten the already tenuous unity and stability of the country. Others include violent rebellion by the Islamic State affiliate, known as ISIS-K, and the revived Pakistani Taliban.
The Pakistani government responded to the BLA with a mix of military operations to dismantle the group's network and crackdowns in the intelligence news. According to news reports, student advocates and human rights groups, the country's security agencies cracked down on educated Baroque youths, sometimes forcing them to “eliminate” allegations of extremists without trial.
Pakistani officials also claim that India is providing secret aid to Baroque rebels. The BLA claims it is an independent nationalist movement that relies on fighters and sympathizers within Balochistan, rather than external support.
What is the regional meaning of BLA activities?
The Balochistan rebellion has an impact beyond Pakistan's borders. The state shares boundaries with Iran and Afghanistan, and the cross-border militants' movements raise concerns about instability in the wider region. While Iran has sometimes raised concerns about Baroque separatist activities near the border, Afghanistan's changing political landscape has introduced new variables in Pakistan's efforts to suppress the rebellion.
