US Designates Lashkar proxy The Resistance Front That Led Pahalgam Massacre as ‘Terrorist Organisation’

The United States on Thursday officially labelled The Resistance Front (TRF) as a proxy of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT)- as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorist.

What Prompted This Move?

This is a direct response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which had killed 26 civilians in Jammu and Kashmir.

The US Secretary of State Marco rubio said that TRF was added to the list of global terror groups under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act and Executive Order 13224 and this design will take effect upon publication in the Federal Register.

The Pahalgam attack was one of the deadliest attacks on civilians in India since the 2008 Mumbai attacks which were also conducted by LeT.

Additionally, TRF has also claimed responsibility for several other attacks against Indian security forces.

Further, this move enforces US President Donald Trump's call for justice for the Pahalgam attack.

What Did Marco Rubio Say?

"TRF, a Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT) front and proxy, claimed responsibility for the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam attack which killed 26 civilians," Marco Rubio, the US Secretary of State said.

More About The Resistance Front

The Resistance Front (TRF), also commonly known as Kashmir Resistance, had initially claimed the Pahalgam attack but later denied involvement.

The group has for long been linked to LeT by Indian security agencies and LeT is further linked to numerous attacks on India including the 26/11 attack.

The US labelling TRF under the same FTO and SDGT designation as LeT means that there will be tougher checks, global stances, asset freezes, as well as penalties on those aiding or abetting the group.

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