Baloch Nationalist Army (BNA) formed from the merger of Baloch Republican Army (BRA) and United Baloch Army (UBA)

[ Article is edited on 13 January 2022 to correct the currency of the amount of money “stolen” in the 4th paragraph ]

According to a press release from Baloch Republican Army, Baloch Republican Army (BRA) and United Baloch Army (UBA) will be dissolved in the wake of a new resistance organisation, named The Baloch Nationalist Army (BNA).

DATE/11/01/2022

BRA AND UBA DISSOLVE AND ANNOUNCE THE FORMATION OF A NEW RESISTANCE
ORGANIZATION, THE BALOCH NATIONALIST ARMY [BNA].

Baloch Republican Army spokesman Beebagr Baloch and United Baloch Army spokesman Mureed Baloch said in a joint statement to media that a meeting of command councils of Baloch Republican Army and United Baloch Army was held in occupied Balochistan where Baloch national political and resistance war was discussed in detailed and saturated.

In order to expand the national resistance war and to unite the Baloch resistance forces against fascism Pakistani military , they announced to continue the national resistance war in the name of “Baloch Nationalist Army” (BNA) by dissolving BRA and UBA

The only spokespersons in the BNA media will be Mureed Baloch while the official channel of the organization will called “Baask” while BNA will continue to be a part of ‘Baloch Raji Aajoi Sangar (BRAS)” as in continuation of the previous.

The Central Command Council of the Baloch Nationalist Army will oversee all the resistance activities of the organization. The organization reiterates its commitment to continue its struggle until the complete withdrawal of the occupying forces and their allies, and will be intensified under modern requirements.

Transcribe of the press release

The formation of the new “National Army” may signify these two group’s combined ambition, as the two rebel force form a new alliance and merger, perhaps to become the preeminent group to represent the region, towards their ultimate aim of secession from Pakistan and a formation of their own nation/country of Balochistan or Baloch.

Baloch Republican Army (BRA) is a nationalist separatists militant organisation formed in 2006, by members of the Bugti tribe and young student political activists in Balochistan, over Pakistani government control and monopoly over Balochi resources. BRA is also highly anti-foreign investment in their region over the same suspicion of the plundering of local resources. BRA have no official identified leaders, with only Brahamdagh Bugti, whom is the founder and leader of the Baloch Republican Party, as the alleged BRA leader by the Pakistani government.

United Baloch Army (UBA) is an offshoot from the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) after an intrafamilial dispute between the leader of BLA, Hyrbyair Marri and his brother, Mehran Marri, whom is the leader of the UBA. UBA is alleged to have siphoned 3 million dollars of funds and 800 million rupees worth of weapons from the BLA (the current is corrected after protest from UBA and BLA from our sources – upon digging, we can correct the figures to 3 million dollars and 800 million rupees – however, it is unclear if its US Dollars and Pakistani Rupees – source: https://www.dawn.com/news/1185401/situationer-whos-who-of-baloch-insurgency). As such, BLA and UBA are known to have fought each other.

Mehran Marri is the brother-in-law of Brahumdagh Bugti. Mehran Marri currently resides in London, United Kingdoms along with his “rival” brother, Hyrbyair Marri. It is unclear if they are still “family” or in talking terms. Hybyair Marri also weirdly denied having any contact with BLA in an interview in 2015. Brahumdagh Bugti resides in Geneva, Switzerland.

BNA would be part of the Baloch Raji Aajoi Sangar (BRAS), or Baloch National Freedom Front, in which most of the Baloch nationalist militant groups belongs to, which includes, the BLA, the Baloch Liberation Front (BLF), the Baloch Republican Guard and the BRA. With BNA’s inclusion in BRA in place of BRA’s position, this could be the first time UBA is part of the coalition. It’s unknown if the inclusion of former UBA into the BRAS would cause any tension within the coalition with the BLA.

All Baloch separatists groups are declared terrorist organisations by the Government of Pakistan.

Balochistan is one of the 4 provinces of Pakistan and it is the largest in terms of land area – but it is highly undeveloped and mainly consisted of desert and mountain. If the secession movement were to succeed, Pakistan map may end up looking more like Laos or Vietnam, in an awkwardly longish shape that makes it extremely difficult to defend in depth in a potential conflict against India.

You can read more about the Baloch history and its conundrums here: https://fountainink.in/essay/the-importance-of-being-baloch