US designates Pakistani Baloch separatists as a foreign terrorist group

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The United States is designating the Pakistani separatist Baloch Liberation Army as a foreign terrorist organization, the U.S. Department of State said on Monday.

The BLA is the strongest of a number of insurgent groups long operating in the area bordering Afghanistan and Iran, a mineral-rich region that is home to Beijing's investment in Gwadar deep water port and other projects.

Recently, the BLA took responsibility for hijacking a Pakistani Jaffar Express train traveling from Quetta to Peshawar in March, killing 31 civilians and security personnel and holding over 300 train passengers hostage, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement.

The foreign terrorist organization designation by the U.S. triggers restrictions on providing financial support and other aid to the group.

(Reporting by Jasper Ward and Maiya Keidan; editing by Susan Heavey)

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