US Declares Pakistan’s TRF a Global Terrorist Group After Deadly Pahalgam Attack

World News: In a major development, the United States has officially declared The Resistance Front (TRF), a Pakistan-supported proxy of Lashkar-e-Taiba, as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO). The announcement comes in the wake of the April 22 terror attack in Baisaran Valley near Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir, in which 26 civilians were killed and several others injured. TRF had claimed responsibility for this brutal assault.

TRF’s Growing Terror Footprint

According to U.S. Secretary of State Mark Rubio, TRF is a front group for Lashkar-e-Taiba, which is already designated as a terrorist organization by the United Nations. The U.S. action was taken under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) and Executive Order 13224.

This attack is regarded as the deadliest assault on civilians in India since the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. TRF has also been involved in multiple attacks on Indian security forces, including several deadly incidents in 2024. The designation will impose financial and travel sanctions on TRF and enhance global counterterrorism cooperation.

Proxy of Lashkar-e-Taiba

TRF has long been seen by Indian and international intelligence agencies as a proxy outfit for Lashkar-e-Taiba, operating under a different name to avoid scrutiny from global watchdogs like the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). The group has executed numerous attacks on civilians and security personnel in Jammu & Kashmir.

This move by the U.S. administration, under President Donald Trump’s anti-terror doctrine, is aimed at cutting off TRF’s funding networks and international support. It also reinforces Indo-U.S. collaboration on counterterrorism.

Today, the US Department of State is adding The Resistance Front (TRF) as a designated Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT).

TRF, a Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT) front and proxy, claimed responsibility for the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam… pic.twitter.com/LklJLIa1xr

— ANI (@ANI) July 17, 2025

Origins and Intentions

TRF was established in October 2019, just months after Article 370 was abrogated in Jammu & Kashmir. Though it portrayed itself as a local Kashmiri resistance movement, its links to Pakistan-based terror infrastructure were soon uncovered.

In January 2023, the Indian government banned the group and declared its leader, Sheikh Sajjad Gul, a designated terrorist. TRF’s objectives include targeted killings of civilians, minorities, and security personnel; cross-border infiltration; arms and drug smuggling; and radical propaganda through social media platforms.

Impact of U.S. Designation

With this declaration, TRF now faces a global clampdown. The financial channels, assets, and logistical support networks used by the group will be severely restricted. It also signals a hardening of the global stance against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism in Kashmir.