Thread by @fahadnabeelfn

A pro-separatist media outlet has published a comprehensive profile of Majeed Brigade. It is an elite unit of BLA's splinter faction headed by Bashirzeb Baloch. The profile covers the time period from the mid-1990s to #PSXattack.
thebalochistanpost.net/2020/07/tbp-re…

Thread to follow

The profile also traces how Aslam Baloch and Bashirzeb Baloch decided to become part of the ethno-nationalist insurgency. Additionally, it also features interviews of Bashirzeb Baloch, Hammal Rehan (Majeed Brigade's commander) and Buzgar Khan (Majeed Brigade's Logistic unit).

"In 2008, Aslam Baloch convenes a secret meeting of his close aides in Saaro camp Bolan and reveals his intentions of forming a new Brigade in Baloch Liberation Army, which will comprise of highly trained members that will only carry out “self-sacrificing” attacks. "

Following the killing of original BLA's Majeed Langove in March 2010, "Aslam Baloch announced the formal formation of BLA’s self-sacrificing squad. ..... He named the self-sacrificing squad as Majeed Brigade after Majeed Langove."

"Aslam Baloch continued his search for the members of BLA Majeed Brigade. He would often......emphasized on the need and importance of the self-sacrificing attacks. He would maintain that such attacks will transform the whole nature of Baloch [separatist] movement."

"In late 2010 a member of BLA, Baaz Khan Marri, requested a meeting with Aslam Baloch. Baaz Khan Marri, a father of two, was a very simple..person. Due to his introverted nature, his comrades called him Darvesh. The meeting held in Buzgar camp Bolan lasted for several hours."

Consequently, Baaz Khan alias Darvesh carried out the first suicide attack of Majeed Brigade by targeting Shafiq Mengal in December 2011.

"It then took Majed Brigade seven years to carry out its second attack......After the attack in Dalbandin, Majeed Brigade became active again at an amplified pace and a significant increase was witnessed in number of volunteers joining this unit."

"The nearly forty-year-old Buzgar Khan is a senior warrior of BLA. He was one of Aslam Baloch’s trusted and close affiliates. He had aided Aslam Baloch during the formation of Majeed Brigade and currently heads Majeed Brigade’s Logistic unit."

In his interview with the media outlet, Bashirzeb Baloch claims that organizational inefficiency prevented maximum utilization of Majeed Brigade and original BLA.

Without mentioning @hyrbyair_marri, Bashirzeb said "look at the activities of the other lobby who wanted to limit BLA to social media and protests in foreign countries....They are narrowed to few protests and indulged in unnecessary debates and mudslinging on social media."

On the question of working as an Iranian proxy, Bashirzaib Baloch said that "Is it not funny that an individual sitting in London [i.e. @hyrbyair_marri] who begs #India for Jinnah’s old residence terms those youth as proxies who willfully take bullets on their heads?"

According to Bashirzaib Baloch, American designation of BLA as a global terror outfit was to reciprocate Pakistani efforts in bringing Afghan Taliban to the negotiating table.

Bashirzeb incorrectly claimed that 13 killed members of Majeed Brigade have not killed a single civilian.

Dec 2011: 6 civilians killed
dawn.com/news/684475/bl…

Nov 2018: 2 civilians killed
bbc.com/news/world-asi…

May 2019: 3 hotel staffers killed
dawn.com/news/1481840

Bashirzeb added "..Any Baloch, irrespective of affiliation with any organization or even if they are not a member of any organisation, can provide their services to this platform [Majeed Brigade]."

While visiting training facilities of Majeed Brigade, the media outlet's team observed a corner in which there were few Urdu and Balochi books including Franz Fanon’s The Wretched of the Earth and "a book about the teachings of Mao Zedong".

After Aslam Baloch's killing, Hammal Rehan Baloch became the new commander of Majeed Brigade. He remained a close lieutenant of Aslam for 12+ years. Considered as BLA's No. 2. Believed to be highly educated and "can fluently speak English, Urdu, Baloch and Brahui languages"

Hammal Rehan provides 4 factors on the basis of which Majeed Brigade selects its targets which are as follows:

- Political and symbolic importance (an important factor)
- Effectiveness on the international level
- Economic implications
- The possibility of low collateral damage

Hammal Rehan explains the eligibility criteria for Majeed Brigade :

"...the very first rule is that a fidayee [A freedom fighter who is willing to die for their cause] must not be under the age of 18......mental capacity and ideological maturity....are thoroughly examined."

Hammal Rehan explains what is permissible for Majeed Brigade members and what isn't

- Can maintain contact with relatives/friends
- Can publish articles
- Can use social media
- Can't disclose anything about the mission

"....as part of Majeed Brigade’s rules, the question is asked multiple times during the process from fidayeen that whether they want to reconsider their [self-sacrificing attack] decision."

"......fidayeen of Majeed Brigade play an important part in choosing their targets. They have a major role during the planning process. They have the full rights to change the target.......They have full knowledge of what their target is and why this has been chosen..."

Four stages of Majeed Brigade's terrorist atttack
Stage 1 - Successfully reach the city where the target is located
Stage 2 - Reach the target itself
Stage 3 - Carry out the attack on the target [Poliitcal goals are achieved at this stage]
Stage 4 - Conquering/destroying target

Hammal Rehan does not provide the exact strength of the brigade "due to organizational confidentiality" but said that "Majeed Brigade has several fidayeen who are ready to render their services."

Majeed Brigade is sub-divided into the following three units:

1) Operational Unit - Responsible for carrying out suicide attacks

2) Logistic Unit - Transporting ammunition and terrorists to their targets

3) Intelligence Unit: Responsible for intelligence gathering