Baluch Liberation Front

The Baloch Liberation Front (BLF) is a political front and militant group founded by Jumma Khan Marri in 1964 in Damascus, and played an important role in the 1968-1980 insurgency in Pakistani Balochistan and Iranian Balochistan. The BLF had support from Arab nationalists leaders.

History
From 1968 to 1973, the BLF was supported by Iraq in the Iranian Baluch revolt. Iraq reduced its support after Iranian Baluch leaders made a deal with the Shah of Iran. Iraq kept its ties with Iranian Baluchs and Central Baluchs. In 1973, Iraq supported the Baluchistan Liberation Front in a Central Baluchistan insurgency. In the same year, Pakistani authorities discovered arms in the Iraqi embassy in Islamabad intended for the BLF's use in Balochistan. Pakistani Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto dismissed the provincial government of Balochistan. The move offended the BLF, who responded by ambushing Pakistani army convoys. Balochistan entered into insurgency, and Pakistan deployed over 80,000 troops in the Baluch region.

In 1974, the Pakistani army started a widespread operation in Baluchistan.The militants fled to Afghanistan, where Iraq and the Soviet Union helped the BLF reorganize.