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Indian Express
2 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
US designates The Resistance Front as terrorist organisation: What is the significance of the move?
The United States designated The Resistance Front (TRF) as a terrorist organisation on Friday (July 18). The decision came three months after TRF claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 25 tourists and a local ponywala. Here is a look at what TRF is, and the significance of the move. TRF, police say, is a shadow group of the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) that was cast to give 'an indigenous look' to the militancy in Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of the special status. While Pakistan was on the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list, they didn't want Lashkar or Jaish to operate under their own names in the Valley, and floated the TRF and the People Against Fascist Forces (PAFF) to skirt accountability, senior officers say. TRF emerged almost immediately after the abrogation of special status on August 5, 2019. In October that year, a grenade exploded in a street market in Srinagar, injuring a few vendors. TRF claimed responsibility, but the security agencies labelled the attack 'an act of miscreants'. The attack came at a time when Srinagar was beginning to open after two months of shutdown to protest the revocation of Article 370, and was seen as an attempt to disrupt normalcy. By mid-2020, TRF had emerged as a prominent force on Kashmir's terror map. They were behind a string of attacks that caught the attention of the security establishment in the Kashmir Valley. It didn't take agencies long to trace TRF's roots to the LeT, a Pakistan-based terror outfit already designated as a terrorist organisation by the US. TRF, the security establishment said, was a 'rebranded Lashkar'. Security officials said that while TRF is a front for the LeT, it works jointly with other terror outfits in the valley. 'The lines on the ground have blurred. They may have different names, but on the ground, they are one,' said a security official. 'So even if TRF is responsible for a terror attack, some other organisation may claim it. In the last three years, several new names have cropped up, like the Kashmir Fight, the Kashmir Tigers, etc. The cadres are the same, only the name is different. They are all shadow groups.' What is the significance of the move? The decision by the US to designate TRF as a terrorist organisation is a diplomatic win for India and a message to Pakistan. However, its impact on the ground remains to be seen, top security officials in the Valley believe. 'It is a diplomatic win and puts Pakistan in a tight spot, but as far as the militancy is concerned, we will have to wait and watch. We have enough examples from the past – Lashkar, Jaish and even Hizb. All of them have been designated as terrorist organisations, yet they continued their attacks,' said a senior police officer, who has been part of Jammu and Kashmir Police's counter-insurgency grid. 'Unlike Lashkar or Jaish, it (TRF) is not an outfit with a global presence; it has restricted itself to Jammu and Kashmir. After some days, you may see the same people operating under a new name. They will keep changing the nomenclature,' the officer cautioned. 'For outfits like the TRF, terrorism is important, not the brand under which they operate,' he said. 'It is an underground outfit and there is little information about their known assets or structures that can be frozen to deal them a blow.' Security officials also believe, and hope, that the US decision to declare TRF a terror organisation is likely a signal for Pakistan to step back. 'After Pakistan virtually bailed out the US in Afghanistan and, more recently, the Pakistan Army Chief was invited to the White House, perhaps they were under the impression there would be no repercussions,' said one official. 'It remains to be seen whether the US acts beyond designating TRF as a terrorist organisation. If that happens, we may see Pakistan establishments forcing the Lashkar commanders to pull back the strings of the TRF.' Bashaarat Masood is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express. He has been covering Jammu and Kashmir, especially the conflict-ridden Kashmir valley, for two decades. Bashaarat joined The Indian Express after completing his Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University in Kashmir. He has been writing on politics, conflict and development. Bashaarat was awarded with the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards in 2012 for his stories on the Pathribal fake encounter. ... Read More
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
TRF claims responsibility for Pahalgam attack: As lines between terror outfits blur in Valley, challenges on ground
The decision by the US to designate The Resistance Front (TRF) as a terrorist organisation is a diplomatic win for India and a message to Pakistan, but its impact on the ground remains to be seen, top security officials in the Valley said Friday. The decision comes three months after the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 25 tourists and a local ponywala. The TRF claimed responsibility for the attack on social media channels, but the NIA concluded during its investigation that all three attackers were Pakistani nationals. 'It is a diplomatic win and puts Pakistan in a tight spot, but as far as the militancy is concerned, we will have to wait and watch. We have enough examples from the past — Lashkar, Jaish and even Hizb. All of them have been designated as terrorist organisations, yet they continued their attacks,' said a senior police officer, who has been part of Jammu and Kashmir Police's counter-insurgency grid. 'Unlike Lashkar or Jaish, it (TRF) is not an outfit with a global presence; it has restricted itself to Jammu and Kashmir. After some days, you may see the same people operating under a new name. They will keep changing the nomenclature,' the officer cautioned. 'For outfits like the TRF, terrorism is important, not the brand under which they operate,' he said. 'It is an underground outfit and there is little information about their known assets or structures that can be frozen to deal them a blow.' TRF, police say, is a shadow group of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) that was cast to give 'an indigenous look' to the militancy in Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of the special status. While Pakistan was on the FATF grey list, it didn't want Lashkar or Jaish to operate under their own names in the Valley, and floated the TRF and the People Against Fascist Forces (PAFF) to skirt accountability, senior officers say. This is why, experts in the Valley say, the US decision is a setback for Pakistan, given that it has been calling the militancy in Jammu and Kashmir an 'indigenous struggle'. TRF emerged almost immediately after the abrogation of special status on August 5, 2019. In October that year, a grenade exploded in a street market in Srinagar, injuring a few vendors. TRF claimed responsibility, but the security agencies labelled the attack 'an act of miscreants'. The attack came at a time when Srinagar was beginning to open after two months of shutdown to protest the revocation of Article 370, and was seen as an attempt to disrupt normalcy. By mid-2020, the TRF had emerged as a prominent force on Kashmir's terror map. They were behind a string of attacks that caught the attention of the security establishment in the Kashmir Valley. It didn't take agencies long to trace the TRF's roots to the LeT, a Pakistan-based terror outfit already designated as a terrorist organisation by the US. TRF, the security establishment said, was a 'rebranded Lashkar'. Security officials said that while TRF is a front for the LeT, it works jointly with other terror outfits in the Valley. 'The lines on the ground have blurred. They may have different names, but on the ground, they are one,' said a security official. 'So even if TRF is responsible for a terror attack, some other organisation may claim it. In the last three years, several new names have cropped up, like the Kashmir Fight, the Kashmir Tigers, etc. The cadres are the same, only the name is different. They are all shadow groups.' Security officials also believe, and hope, that the US decision to declare TRF a terror organisation is likely a signal for Pakistan to step back. 'After Pakistan virtually bailed out the US in Afghanistan and, more recently, the Pakistan Army chief was invited to the White House, perhaps they were under the impression there would be no repercussions,' said one official. 'It remains to be seen whether the US acts beyond designating TRF as a terrorist organisation. If that happens, we may see Pakistan establishments forcing the Lashkar commanders to pull back the strings of the TRF.' Bashaarat Masood is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express. He has been covering Jammu and Kashmir, especially the conflict-ridden Kashmir valley, for two decades. Bashaarat joined The Indian Express after completing his Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University in Kashmir. He has been writing on politics, conflict and development. Bashaarat was awarded with the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards in 2012 for his stories on the Pathribal fake encounter. ... Read More
India Today
2 days ago
- Politics
- India Today
Pak cries foul after US terror tag for Lashkar proxy, blames 'Indian propaganda'
Pakistan lashed out on Friday after the US designated The Resistance Front (TRF), a shadow group of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba, as a terrorist organisation, resorting to its usual script of deflecting blame and raking up the Kashmir terror tag for TRF comes weeks after it claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam massacre, in which 26 people, mostly tourists, were gunned down. US officials described it as the deadliest terrorist strike on civilians in India since the 2008 Mumbai attacks, also orchestrated by Lashkar however, dismissed any link between the Pahalgam attack and Lashkar-e-Taiba, which it claimed is a "defunct organisation banned in Pakistan." In a statement, it said, "Pakistan has effectively and comprehensively dismantled concerned outfits, arrested and prosecuted the leadership, and deradicalised its cadres."In a familiar move, Pakistan called itself a 'frontline state against terrorism' and claimed it had 'contributed tremendously towards achievement of global peace through its counter-terrorism efforts.'The statement also rejected India's evidence-backed assertion of Lashkar's role in the Pahalgam killings, calling it a bid to 'misuse international forums to defame Pakistan.''India has a track record of exploiting such designations to push anti-Pakistan propaganda with a view to divert international attention from its irresponsible and rogue behaviour, including ongoing human rights atrocities, especially in IIOJ&K,' it said, using its preferred term for Jammu and also demanded that the international community adopt 'objective and non-discriminatory policies' in the fight against terrorism. This came even as Islamabad, increasingly rattled by Baloch militants targeting security installations in Balochistan, sought action against the Majeed Brigade of the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA).Earlier in a statement, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the Department of State had designated the TRF as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT). India welcomed the US move is likely to have repercussions at the United Nations, particularly within the Security Council's 1267 Sanctions Committee, a key mechanism for global terror designations. India is expected to push for further international isolation of TRF and its parent China, a permanent member of the Security Council which has routinely shielded Pakistan when it comes to sanctioning terrorists, reacted cautiously to the US move.'China calls on regional countries to enhance counterterrorism cooperation and jointly maintain regional security and stability,' said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian.- EndsMust Watch
News18
2 days ago
- Politics
- News18
Wanted Worldwide, VVIP In Pakistan: How Islamabad Protects These 7 Terrorists
Last Updated: Despite global terror listings and India's repeated warnings, Pakistan continues to shield 7 most-wanted terrorists, from Hafiz Saeed to Dawood Ibrahim. Despite repeated diplomatic calls from India and mounting evidence shared with global bodies like the United Nations and FATF (Financial Action Task Force), Pakistan continues to provide safe haven to some of the world's most wanted terrorists. From masterminds of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks to underworld kingpins and terrorists operating across borders, these seven individuals remain free- brazenly protected, directly or indirectly, by Pakistan. Hafiz Saeed Founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Hafiz Saeed orchestrated the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks that killed 166 people and the 2006 Mumbai train bombings that killed over 200. He is also responsible for attacks on the Red Fort in 2000 and countless strikes across Kashmir. Despite being designated a global terrorist by the UN and US and facing a $10 million bounty, Hafiz Saeed lives comfortably in Lahore, often seen attending Friday prayers under armed police protection. In June 2025, Pakistani politician Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that Hafiz Saeed was under 'house arrest"- a claim India dismissed as eyewash. Pakistan's Lashkar HQ in Muridke was destroyed by India in Operation Sindoor. Masood Azhar Dawood Ibrahim India's most wanted underworld don Dawood Ibrahim was the mastermind of the 1993 Mumbai serial bombings that killed over 250 people. He heads the D-Company, a transnational crime syndicate involved in narco-terrorism, extortion and money laundering. Labelled a global terrorist by the US and UN, Dawood Ibrahim has a $25 million bounty. His Karachi address- House No. D-13, Clifton, Karachi- has appeared in multiple dossiers shared with Pakistan and the UN. Yet he continues to live with impunity under the protection of Pakistan's ISI and reportedly enjoys direct contact with elements of the military. Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi A top Lashkar commander, Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi was one of the primary handlers of the 10 Pakistani gunmen who carried out the Mumbai 26/11 attacks. Captured gunman Ajmal Kasab named him as a key figure. Though briefly jailed under global pressure, Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi was granted bail in Pakistan and has since vanished from public record. He continues to enjoy military protection in Pakistan's Punjab province and his assets remain largely untouched. When Pakistan was on the FATF 'grey list', Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi faced limited sanctions but once that scrutiny faded, he reemerged with impunity. China has repeatedly blocked UN efforts to list him under global sanctions. Syed Salahuddin Chief of Hizbul Mujahideen Syed Salahuddin operates out of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, where he frequently leads anti-India rallies, calling for jihad and threatening to turn Kashmir into a 'graveyard for Indian soldiers." The US State Department designated him a global terrorist in 2017. Riyaz and Iqbal Bhatkal The Bhatkal brothers- Riyaz and Iqbal- founded the Indian Mujahideen (IM) and have been behind a spate of bombings in Indian cities, including Delhi, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Pune. While Iqbal is the operational head and bombmaker, Riyaz handles funding and logistics, with help from Gulf-based handlers and Pakistan's ISI. Both are currently believed to be living in Karachi, where they are said to operate sleeper cells in India through encrypted apps and hawala channels. view comments First Published: July 18, 2025, 21:18 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
India Today
3 days ago
- Politics
- India Today
Lashkar offshoot to shift base from Pak's Muridke as US brands it terror outfit
As the US designated The Resistance Front (TRF) — the outfit behind the Pahalgam terror attack — as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO), sources revealed to India Today TV that both Lashkar and its offshoot are shifting their headquarters from Muridke, Pakistan, to Bahawalpur, about 400 kilometres Operation Sindoor, India conducted precision strikes not only on a key Lashkar site in Muridke but also on Jaish's stronghold in Bahawalpur, both in Pakistan's Punjab present, Indian intelligence agencies are monitoring the Pakistani Army's move to co-locate the headquarters of the two terror organisations at the same location. Founded in 2019 following the abrogation of Article 370, the Resistance Front has been propped up by Pakistan's information warfare machinery as a 'homegrown' insurgent outfit in Kashmir fighting for its in turn, helped the group evade scrutiny from global anti-terror financial watchdogs and avoid international bans. Additionally, operating under the guise of a homegrown outfit helped it evoke sympathy, said sources in the it acts as a proxy for Lashkar-e-Taiba and is merely a repackaged version of the globally proscribed terror organisation, said government sources pointed out that the Pahalgam attack was part of a larger plot hatched by Pakistan to destabilise the Valley under TRF's guise of an indigenous formation of TRF is a textbook example of Pakistan's longstanding modus operandi — rebranding terror outfits to escape international scrutiny and maintain plausible deniability, while continuing its strategy of cross-border terrorism under the garb of local resistance, government sources further intercepts, human sources, and forensic digital trails clearly pointed to TRF acting on direct instructions from the Pakistani military establishment, particularly Army Chief General Asim timing of the attack — coinciding with rising domestic unrest in Pakistan and global criticism of Munir's crackdown on democratic forces — revealed the true objective: deflection and diversion, according to Indian intelligence United States has officially designated The Resistance Front (TRF) as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation months after the deadly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, which killed 26 a statement released on Thursday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, "These actions taken by the Department of State demonstrate the Trump Administration's commitment to protecting our national security interests, countering terrorism, and enforcing President Trump's call for justice for the Pahalgam attack."- EndsMust Watch
