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The United States has designated The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of the Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT), as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) following its role in the deadly April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed the lives of 26 civilians.
In a statement issued late Thursday (local time), US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, “Today, the 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 attack which killed 26 civilians. This was the deadliest attack on civilians in India since the 2008 Mumbai attacks conducted by LeT. TRF has also claimed responsibility for several attacks against Indian security forces, including most recently in 2024.”
The statement further said the action reflected the Trump administration’s continued commitment to global counterterrorism efforts.
“These actions taken by the Department of State demonstrates 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 added.
The designation adds TRF and its aliases to Lashkar-e-Tayyiba’s existing listing under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act and Executive Order 13224. The US State Department also reaffirmed its FTO designation for LeT, noting that the amendments will take effect upon publication in the Federal Register.
India welcomes the move
Reacting to the development, the Government of India welcomed the US decision, describing it a significant step in the global fight against terrorism. “The Government of India welcomes the decision of the United States Department of State to designate The Resistance Front (TRF) as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) and as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT). We acknowledge and appreciate the leadership of Secretary of State Mr. Marco Rubio in this regard.”
The Indian government reiterated TRF’s ties to LeT and its repeated claims of responsibility for the Pahalgam attack.
India underscored the importance of international collaboration in tackling terrorism.“India has consistently emphasised the need for global cooperation in the fight against terrorism and the dismantling of terror infrastructure. The designation of TRF is a timely and important step reflecting the deep cooperation between India and the United States on counter-terrorism.”
“India remains committed to a policy of zero tolerance towards terrorism and will continue to work closely with its international partners to ensure that terrorist organisations and their proxies are held accountable," according to official statement.
Pahalgam Terror Attack: International condemnation
Earlier this week, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar had raised the Pahalgam attack during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Tianjin.
He described the attack as an attempt to undermine Kashmir’s tourism economy and sow religious discord, and called for collective action.
“Recently, we in India witnessed a graphic example in the terrorist attack in Pahalgam on 22 April 2025. It was deliberately conducted to undermine the tourism economy of Jammu and Kashmir, while sowing a religious divide,” he said in a post on X.
English (US) ·