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The Hindu
7 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
TRF a proxy of Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba, say security forces
The Resistance Front (TRF), now designated by the United States as a global terror outfit, is a proxy of Pakistan-based proscribed group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). The outfit was floated in the aftermath of the abrogation of Article 370 to evade international sanctions against Pakistan, according to Indian security agencies. TRF has carried out terror attacks in Jammu & Kashmir's Keran, Handwara, Sopore, Shopian, Anantnag, Reasi, and Pahalgam. Notable attacks include the Pahalgam attack on April 22, 2025; the killing of nine Hindu pilgrims in Reasi on June 9, 2024; the murder of six migrant labourers and a doctor in Ganderbal on October 20, 2024, the killing of three Army and police personnel in Anantnag on September 13, 2023; and the murder of a BJP leader and two of his family members on, July 8, 2020. The Indian government designated the outfit as a terror organisation under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in January 2023. Founded by Muhammad Abbas Sheikh (now deceased) in October 2019, it is currently headed by designated terrorist Sheikh Sajjad Gul. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has declared a reward of ₹10 lakh for him. 'Muhammad Abbas Sheikh, previously associated with Hizbul Mujahideen, played a key role in setting up TRF. He was killed in an encounter with security forces on August 23, 2021. After his death, Basit Ahmed Dar aka Abu Kamran, became its chief operational commander. He was also killed in an encounter on May 7, 2024, in Jammu & Kashmir's Kulgam,' said an official. The current TRF chief was allegedly a part of the conspiracy to assassinate prominent Kashmiri journalist Shujaat Bukhari in 2018. 'Gul was instrumental in launching TRF's digital media platform 'Kashmir Fight', through which threats were also issued to migrant Kashmiri Pandit employees,' the official said. Via 'Kashmir Fight', TRF indulges in anti-India propaganda, campaigns for recruitment, and also claims responsibility for attacks. Its website was registered on December 10, 2024, through an entity said to be based in Iceland. TRF has a presence on several digital platforms, including Mastodon, Chirpwire, and BiP. 'TRF usually focused on security forces and political figures, but late 2024 onward it started to target infrastructure projects and civilians, including non-locals, in Jammu & Kashmir,' the official said. Citing its direct role in the Pahalgam attack, the U.S. has formally designated TRF as a foreign terrorist organisation and a specially designated global terrorist entity. 'The U.S. statement acknowledges TRF's links with LeT and Pakistan Army; General Asim Munir's role; and the legitimacy of India's calibrated military response through 'Operation Sindoor' that was aimed at neutralising the terror launchpads,' the official said.
India Today
7 days ago
- Politics
- India Today
After US terror tag, Pak may rename Lashkar offshoot to continue proxy war in India
Indian intelligence agencies are preparing for a potential rebranding of The Resistance Front (TRF) following its designation as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation by the United States, government sources told India Today TV. Sources revealed that Pakistan will attempt to rename the group to bypass international scrutiny, a common tactic to continue proxy warfare against intelligence community is actively building a dossier to trace any rebranding efforts back to TRF and LeT. This dossier will be shared with international partners such as the US, global anti-terror financing watchdog FATF, and the UN to prevent any diplomatic loopholes or legal protection for these groups, according to sources. Such efforts are crucial to maintaining international pressure and ensuring accountability, intel sources within the government further told India Today security forces remain vigilant for the appearance of new "resistance" groups, particularly those with digital propaganda and connections to Pakistan. Any such identities will be monitored and legally disputed to ensure the TRF ban remains effective, said sources. By doing so, India aims to thwart any attempts by Lashkar and its proxy at circumventing international sanctions. TRF, established by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence in 2019, is widely seen as an extension of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). "According to Indian officials, this development shows a pattern wherein banned groups are repeatedly renamed to escape international sanctions while continuing their core terror activities."The group was set up post-abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, aiming to portray terrorism in the Valley as local resistance rather than foreign jihad. This strategic portrayal was intended to mask the group's true nature and its claims of being an indigenous movement, TRF has been involved in various attacks, including the Pahalgam incident, mirroring LeT's operational methods. Indian agencies note that the group's objectives include avoiding financial scrutiny from bodies like the FATF and evading UN and US blacklists while attempting to recruit Kashmiri youth through the illusion of local militancy. The group employs sophisticated propaganda to attract recruits and maintain operational to sources, TRF was founded by Muhammad Abbas Sheikh, who is now deceased. The current leadership includes Sheikh Sajjad Gul as commander, with Ahmed Khalid as the spokesperson. The group operates under Pakistan's long-standing infrastructure designed to promote jihad in Kashmir, leveraging existing networks and resources to sustain its headquarters of TRF, along with its support network, is located in Muridke, Pakistan. India Today TV reported that the headquarters may be relocated to Bahawalpur under Saifullah Saif, with support from organisations like Jamaat-ud-Dawa, which blend humanitarian outreach with propaganda. This strategic positioning allows the group to continue its operations with relative recruitment strategy aligns with Pakistan's hybrid warfare doctrine, relying on martyrdom narratives and targeting educated individuals drawn by themes of regional injustice. With the US designation, any rebranding attempts by Pakistan are being closely watched by Indian agencies to prevent undermining of international efforts against terrorism, sources added.- EndsMust Watch
Time of India
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
US designates Lashkar proxy TRF as terrorist Organisation. The truth behind its operations with Pakistani army
The United States has designated The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy for Lashkar-e-Taiba, as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and Specially Designated Global Terrorist following the April 22 Pahalgam attack. This move, welcomed by India, underscores the commitment to counter-terrorism efforts and addresses the deadliest civilian attack in India since the 2008 Mumbai attacks. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads The United States Department of State on Thursday designated The Resistance Front ( TRF ), a front group of Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and the group behind the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack , as a as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT).Founded in 2019, shortly after the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir (J-K), TRF is a part of broader Pakistan's ISI-backed disinformation and hybrid warfare and targets civilians, minorities, tourists and security forces, according to said that the outfit employs ex-SSG commandos (Hashim Musa) of the Pakistan Army as part of its tactics to launch terror Resistance Front (TRF), a Pakistan-backed militant Proxy in Kashmir, focuses on terror attacks, recruitment and propaganda, they key leadership, including founder Muhammad Abbas Sheikh and Basit Ahmed Dar, Operational Chief, is dead. Its Supreme Commander, Sheikh Sajjad Gul, is reportedly active, sources are also reports that the headquarters of the TRF may be shifting from Muridke to Bahawalpur in to the designation, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Friday welcomed the US decision, calling it a "strong affirmation of India-US counter-terrorism cooperation.""Appreciate SecRubio and @StateDept for designating TRF, a Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT) proxy, as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT). It claimed responsibility for the April 22 Pahalgam attack. Zero tolerance for terrorism," Jaishankar posted on the social media platform a statement, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged that TRF, which is a known proxy of the Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, under US anti-terrorism laws, had claimed responsibility for the Pahalagam terror April 22 attack in the tourist spot in Jammu and Kashmir had claimed the lives of 26 civilians and triggered the four-day military escalation between India and Pakistan. In light of this, the US accorded the group as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT).The US said the attack was the deadliest civilian attack in India since the 2008 Mumbai attacks, also carried out by US State Department further stated that TRF has also been involved in multiple attacks on Indian security forces in recent years, including in decision, the US government stated, underlined the Trump administration's continued commitment to global counter-terrorism."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," the statement read."TRF and other associated aliases have been added to LeT's designation as a FTO and SDGT pursuant to section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act and Executive Order 13224, respectively. The Department of State has also reviewed and maintained the FTO designation of LeT. Amendments to FTO designations go into effect upon publication in the Federal Register," it Indian embassy in Washington lauded the US decision in a statement, saying, "Another demonstration of strong India-USA counter-terrorism cooperation. Appreciate the Department of State for listing The Resistance Front (TRF) as a designated Foreign Terrorist Organisation and Specially Designated Global Terrorist.""TRF is a proxy of Lashkar-e-Tayyiba and claimed responsibility for the April 22 terror attack on civilians in Pahalgam. ZERO TOLERANCE for terrorism!" the Indian embassy this week, EAM Jaishankar had highlighted the Pahalgam attack at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers Meeting in Tianjin, calling for an uncompromised global stance against highlighted that three evils have taken over the world: "Terrorism, Separatism and Extremism," which he believes often occur together.
The Hindu
26-04-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
The Resistance Front
The killings of 25 tourists, including one Nepali, and a local pony operator by a group of terrorists trained in jungle warfare in a meadow of Pahalgam's Baisaran in south Kashmir's Anantnag district on April 22 shook the entire nation. It turned the spotlight on The Resistance Front (TRF), an outfit that initially claimed responsibility (a claim it later withdrew) for the attack. Security agencies in Kashmir see the TRF as an offshoot of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). The nomenclature, many security experts in Kashmir believe, was aimed at presenting itself as a 'new-age ideological force' and distancing itself from other Islamist groups such as al-Qaeda and Jaish-e-Muhammad. The TRF emerged on the militancy landscape of Jammu and Kashmir after the Centre abrogated the provisions of Article 370 in 2019. Kashmir has seen around two dozen militant outfits active since the militancy started in the 1990s. Many smaller groups have eventually vanished from the scene. The TRF came into the crosshairs of the security agencies in April 2020 when a group of terrorists engaged security forces in a firefight for four days close to the Line of Control (LoC) in Kupwara's Keran Sector in snow-filled mountain passes. The killing of five elite commandos of the Army in extreme weather conditions in Keran signalled the changing tack and tactics of terrorists in Kashmir. One senior police official said the major shift the TRF brought was a higher level of training, online propaganda and high-end weaponry and body cameras to film the attacks live and stream them online. The outfit operates on social media platforms 'to promote their cause and lure unemployed youth to carry out terror activities', according to the National Investigation Agency's (NIA) probe. Urban militancy Around 200 TRF cadres have been killed since 2019 in Kashmir. At present, the TRF, which was mandated by its handlers across the border to revive militancy in urban pockets in Kashmir, remains a faceless outfit. The killing of Muhammad Abbas Sheikh, a resident of Kulgam, in 2021 and Basit Dar, also from Kulgam, in May 2024 left the outfit faceless. According to the police records, Sheikh, who was active since 1996, was the brain behind the TRF's actions and revival of militancy in Srinagar. Dar, who joined the TRF in 2021, was involved in 18 FIRs before being killed in Kulgam in a chance encounter, officials said. Departing from attacking security forces' patrols and installations, the TRF in 2021 started a series of targeted killings of the members of minorities, including a well-known chemist, Makhan Lal Pandita, and a school principal, Supinder Kaur. Several non-local labourers were targeted by the group. These killings resulted in mass migration of Kashmiri Pandits from the Kashmir Valley that year. So far, the NIA has zeroed in on a Pakistani national Habibullah Malik alias Sajid Jutt, from Kasur district in Pakistan's Punjab as the TRF's main handler. Malik is seen as the brain behind the expansion of the TRF operations from the Kashmir Valley into the Pir Panjal Valley in the Jammu region. He is accused of 'motivating vulnerable Kashmiri youth to join the TRF for carrying out terrorist activities in J&K'. The TRF first attributed the attack on tourists in Pahalgam to the increasing number of domicile certificates issued to outsiders in J&K. With pressure mounting globally over the massacre, the TRF in an online statement distanced itself from the attack, saying the outfit 'unequivocally denies any involvement in the Pahalgam incident'. 'Any attribution of this act to the TRF is false, hasty, and part of an orchestrated campaign to malign the Kashmiri resistance'. It termed the release of the earlier statement online as 'a result of a coordinated cyber intrusion'. As security agencies claim the TRF support structure stands dismantled in the Kashmir Valley, the latest attack only shows how delicate peace remains in Kashmir with challenges being posed by such organisations as the TRF with new tactics and targets.
