Pahalgam terror attack: What is The Resistance Front, a proxy of Lashkar?

The Resistance Front, a proxy outfit of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, has claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 tourists in South Kashmir

Following the terror attack on tourists at Baisaran, an off-road alpine meadow in South Kashmir’s Pahalgam, central agency sources revealed that The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy group of the banned Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), has claimed responsibility. The terror attack, which occurred on Tuesday, left at least 26 people dead and several others injured.

 

TRF: A Lashkar proxy and UAPA-designated terror group

In January 2023, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in India officially designated TRF as a terrorist organisation under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). This was based on the group’s involvement in recruiting terrorists, spreading terrorist propaganda, facilitating infiltration, and smuggling weapons and narcotics into Jammu and Kashmir.

 

According to the MHA’s notification, TRF emerged in 2019 as a front for LeT. “TRF is recruiting youth through online medium for furtherance of terrorist activities and has been also involved in carrying out propaganda on terror activities, recruitment of terrorists, infiltration of terrorists and smuggling of weapons and narcotics from Pakistan into J&K. TRF is involved in psychological operations on social media platforms for inciting people of J&K to join terrorist outfits against the Indian state,” the ministry said, as quoted by The Indian Express.  ALSO READ | 'Concerned at loss of tourists' lives': Pakistan on Pahalgam terror attack

 

Rebranding to evade global scrutiny

Officials said that TRF was essentially a rebranded version of LeT. The aim behind this rebranding was to distance the organisation from overtly religious names such as LeT and Jaish-e-Mohammad, which carried Islamic overtones. “Lashkar and Jaish-e-Mohammad had religious connotations and Pakistan did not want that. They wanted to make Kashmir militancy appear indigenous. Hence, they opted for ‘Resistance’ — that has some currency in global politics — in its name,” the news report quoted an official as saying. 

 

Sheikh Sajjad Gul, a known TRF commander, has also been declared a terrorist under the Fourth Schedule of the UAPA.

 

Widespread threats and recruitment campaigns

TRF gained notoriety not only for its violent attacks but also for issuing threats to journalists in Kashmir, accusing them of “traitorous acts”. This led to several resignations within the local media community. 

Initially starting as an online entity shortly after the revocation of Article 370 in August 2019, TRF soon evolved into a ground-level organisation. According to police, it operated out of Karachi and merged elements from other groups like Tehreek-e-Millat Islamia and Ghaznavi Hind, apart from Lashkar. 

The news report quoted a senior security official as saying that this transformation was partly aimed at evading scrutiny by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), making the organisation appear like a grassroots resistance movement rather than a religious militant group. 

 

Operational footprint and rise to prominence

TRF started claiming responsibility for attacks across Kashmir from 2020 onward. Its rise was evident when J&K Police busted over-ground worker (OGW) modules of TRF in Sopore and Kupwara and seized arms near the Line of Control (LoC) at Keran. The OGWs confessed they were recruiting youth for TRF. 

In 2022, police data showed that the highest number of militants killed in the Valley were affiliated with TRF.

 

Govt action against terror groups

In March 2023, the MHA reported to the Rajya Sabha that, as of February, it had banned 54 individuals and 44 organisations under the UAPA’s Fourth and First Schedules, respectively.

 

Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said that four outfits, including TRF, were newly designated terrorist organisations. “It (TRF) has been involved in planning killings of security force personnel and innocent civilians of Jammu and Kashmir, co-ordinating and transporting weapons to support proscribed terrorist organisations, recruitment of terrorists, infiltration of terrorists and smuggling of weapons and narcotics from across the border,” he said.

 

[With agency inputs]