New Delhi/Washington, July 18, 2025: The United States has officially designated The Resistance Front (TRF)—a Pakistan-linked terror outfit operating in Jammu & Kashmir—as a foreign terrorist organisation, citing its alleged involvement in the April 2025 attack in Pahalgam that left several civilians and security personnel dead.

The designation was announced by the U.S. State Department, which stated that TRF, despite being a relatively new group, has emerged as one of the most active terror organisations operating in Kashmir, with suspected links to the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

What Triggered the U.S. Action

The move follows intelligence findings that TRF was behind the April 16 ambush near Pahalgam in South Kashmir, where five security personnel were killed and several others injured in a highly coordinated terrorist assault. The group had initially taken credit via encrypted social channels, before withdrawing the statement, a behaviour that officials say is typical of proxy outfits.

“The group’s brief claim of responsibility, followed by a suspicious denial, is a common tactic to avoid international scrutiny while still sending a message to local populations,” a senior counterterrorism official from the U.S. intelligence community said.

Who is TRF?

The Resistance Front (TRF) first emerged in late 2019, shortly after the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu & Kashmir. The group is widely believed to be a front organisation for Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), created to provide a more “secular” and indigenous cover to cross-border terror operations.

Though it claims to be a Kashmiri-led resistance group, Indian intelligence and global counter-terrorism experts have consistently linked it to Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Lashkar commanders operating out of PoK (Pakistan-occupied Kashmir).

What the Designation Means

With the designation under the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act, TRF will now face:

• Asset freezes under U.S. jurisdiction

• Travel bans and visa denials for its members

• Prohibition on U.S. entities and persons providing any material support

This also opens the door for international cooperation among allies to curb TRF’s financial and logistical networks, many of which are believed to operate through dark web channels, cryptocurrency wallets, and shell NGOs.

India Welcomes U.S. Move

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) welcomed the U.S. designation, calling it “a significant step in the global effort to dismantle Pakistan-sponsored terrorism in South Asia.”

“India has long maintained that TRF is not an indigenous group, but a rebranded arm of LeT, created to bypass international sanctions. This designation validates our concerns,” the MEA said in a statement.

Indian security forces have been actively tracking TRF operatives in Kashmir, with several successful encounters reported in Anantnag, Pulwama, and Shopian in recent months.

Global Pressure Mounts on Pakistan

The move is also expected to increase international pressure on Pakistan, which is already on thin ice with global watchdogs like FATF (Financial Action Task Force) for its alleged failure to crack down on terror financing.

Several TRF operatives killed or arrested in the last three years were found to be in contact with handlers based in Pakistan, often using encrypted messaging apps and VPNs to evade surveillance.

Despite Pakistan’s repeated denial of involvement, the growing international consensus is that these proxy groups cannot operate without some degree of state tolerance or support.

Pattern of Proxy War

Experts say TRF is part of a broader pattern used by Pakistan-based terror networks to keep alive the insurgency in Kashmir, without triggering full-scale diplomatic backlash.

Groups like People’s Anti-Fascist Front (PAFF), Ghaznavi Force, and TRF all emerged post-2019 as low-profile but deadly outfits, often comprising rehabilitated or newly radicalised local youth backed by cross-border ideologues.

“These aren’t traditional terror groups. They’re more like hybrid insurgents, trained in cyber warfare, urban sabotage, and ideological propaganda,” said Lt. Gen. (Retd) Satish Dua, former Corps Commander, Northern Command.

TRF’s Modus Operandi

TRF typically avoids large-scale attacks that attract global media, opting instead for:

• Targeted killings of minority community members

• Ambushes of patrolling units

• Online radicalisation and propaganda campaigns

• Use of untraceable prepaid SIM cards, burner phones, and peer-to-peer crypto funding

According to Indian security agencies, Telegram, Signal, and even gaming platforms have been used to coordinate operations and recruit new cadres.

Impact on Kashmir Security Dynamics

While TRF’s designation won’t immediately dismantle its operations, it strengthens India’s diplomatic and legal hand. It also provides a precedent for other nations, especially in the EU and ASEAN, to consider similar designations.

“This designation will empower financial institutions, social media platforms, and cyber watchdogs to act more decisively against TRF's networks,” said cyber security expert Sneha Jha.

Conclusion: A Global Message

By naming TRF a foreign terrorist organisation, the United States is sending a clear signal to proxy terror groups and their alleged sponsors — the age of plausible deniability is over.

In a region as fragile as South Asia, such measures reaffirm the global commitment to counter non-state actors who continue to threaten peace, stability, and human life under the garb of resistance.

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