Majeed Brigade: A Baloch Insurgent Group Waging War Against Pakistan and China

The Majeed Brigade, a Baloch insurgent group, has emerged as a formidable force in Balochistan, listed as a terrorist organization alongside the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA). The group, notorious for its suicide attacks, directs its operations against the Pakistani military and Chinese citizens, making it a common enemy of both Pakistan and China. Established in 2011, the Majeed Brigade has been responsible for the deaths of over 200 Pakistani military personnel in the last 14 years. The group’s inception was a response to the killings of Majeed Senior and his brother, Majeed Junior, both of whom were affiliated with the BLA. The formation of the Majeed Brigade was a tribute to their memory. The Majeed Brigade members operate differently from the BLA, maintaining familial contacts and selecting their own targets. The majority of its members are suicide attackers. The group is estimated to have a force of 150 highly-trained fighters, who operate from two training camps in Balochistan. The training of these fighters is believed to have been provided by TTP operatives. The Majeed Brigade primarily targets the Pakistani military and its assets. Their attacks are conducted in three phases: target selection, information gathering by informers, and the execution of attacks. They utilize improvised explosive devices (IEDs), anti-personnel and anti-tank mines, grenades, rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs), and a variety of automatic weapons like M4 rifles and other rockets to carry out their operations. Additionally, the Majeed Brigade has targeted Chinese citizens and infrastructure since 2018, resulting in the deaths of 14 Chinese nationals. The group accuses China of oppressing Balochis through a private army in Gwadar and is against the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project, which passes through Balochistan.