UNSC report names TRF in Pahalgam attack, links group to Lashkar-e-Taiba

Business Standard

2 days ago

A recent United Nations Security Council (UNSC) report has named The Resistance Front, a proxy for Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), in connection with the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir. The findings are expected to strengthen India's claims of Pakistan-backed cross-border terrorism, news agency PTI reported.
The report, compiled by the UNSC's Monitoring Team, cited an unnamed member state that said the Pahalgam attack 'could not have happened without Lashkar-e-Taiba's (LeT) support' and emphasised a link between LeT and The Resistance Front (TRF).
Pakistan's denial vs UN findings
Pakistan's foreign minister had mentioned in the National Assembly about managing to remove references to TRF from a UNSC press statement condemning the Pahalgam incident. The report of UNSC's Monitoring Team mention of TRF reflects how the global community sees Pakistan's 'lies and deceptive narrative', PTI cited sources as saying.
According to the Monitoring Team report, five terrorists carried out the Pahalgam attack, which killed 26 civilians. 'The attack was claimed that same day by The Resistance Front (TRF), which in parallel published a photograph of the attack site. The claim of responsibility was repeated the following day,' the report noted. However, TRF retracted the claim on April 26 and made no further statements. No other group claimed responsibility for the attack.
The report also documented differing opinions from UNSC member states on the TRF-LeT connection. 'One member state said the attack could not have happened without LeT's support, and that there was a relationship between LeT and TRF,' it said. 'Another member state said the attack was carried out by TRF, which was synonymous with LeT. One member state rejected these views and said that LeT was defunct.'
US declares TRF a terrorist organisation
The United States officially designated TRF as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) earlier this month.
The announcement was made by the US Department of State. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, 'This action underscores our commitment to counter terrorism and hold accountable those who target civilians.' He added that TRF's role in the Pahalgam attack reflects Washington's determination to enforce President Donald Trump's call for justice.
According to the State Department, TRF has carried out several attacks on Indian security forces in recent years. With the FTO and SDGT designations — under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act and Executive Order 13224 — legal action can now be more strongly enforced against TRF and its affiliates.
The department also reaffirmed that Lashkar-e-Taiba remains listed as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation.
[With agency inputs]