Trump Administration Labels TRF as FTO, Vows Justice for Attack That Killed 26; India Hails Move as Major Win in Global Counter-Terror Fight
KD News Service
In a significant move, the United States has designated The Resistance Front (TRF) —a proxy of the Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and the outfit responsible for the Pahalgam terror attack—as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO).
The US Department of State announced the decision on Thursday, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio stating that the designation underscores Washington’s commitment to delivering justice following the attack, in line with President Donald Trump’s call for action.
The Indian Embassy in Washington welcomed the move, calling it a testament to the strong counter-terrorism cooperation between India and the US.
Background: The Pahalgam Attack
The April 22 attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, claimed 26 lives, marking the deadliest assault on civilians in India since the 2008 Mumbai attacks. Initially, TRF claimed responsibility but later retracted its statement amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan.
India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) identified TRF chief Sheikh Sajjad Gul as the mastermind behind the attack.
US Designation and Global Implications
Rubio clarified that the State Department has designated TRF as both a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT).
– The designation falls under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act and Executive Order 13224.
– TRF and its aliases have been linked to LeT’s existing FTO and SDGT designations.
– The State Department also reviewed and upheld LeT’s FTO status.
Rubio emphasized that the action reflects the Trump administration’s resolve to counter terrorism and ensure justice for the Pahalgam attack victims.
Following the attack, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, striking nine terror infrastructure sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
A ceasefire was declared on May 10 after Pakistan’s military engaged in direct talks with Indian officials. However, President Trump claimed credit for the truce, alleging his intervention prevented further escalation. India dismissed the claim, maintaining that the de-escalation resulted from military-level communication and reiterating its stance against third-party mediation in India-Pakistan matters.
Later that month, India dispatched seven multi-party delegations to 33 global capitals, including Washington, to rally international pressure on Pakistan over its continued support for terrorism.
At the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) foreign ministers’ meeting in Tianjin, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar condemned terrorism, extremism, and separatism as the “three evils”, stressing that the Pahalgam attack aimed to destabilize peace.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi denounced the attack as an assault on “Kashmiriyat and Insaniyat (humanity)”, asserting that Operation Sindoor delivered a “humiliating defeat” to Pakistan.
“Whenever Pakistan hears ‘Operation Sindoor,’ it will remember its humiliation,” Modi declared.
He accused Pakistan of targeting Kashmir’s tourism sector, a key driver of economic growth, to undermine livelihoods of guides, hoteliers, and local workers.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah warned that India’s retaliation sent a clear message: any attack on its citizens will be met with decisive action.
Jammu & Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha lambasted Pakistan as a “global hub of terrorism” mired in economic crisis, contrasting it with India’s progressive trajectory.
“Our youth are excelling in innovation, while Pakistan sends its youth to terror camps,” Sinha remarked, citing Operation Sindoor as proof of India’s zero-tolerance policy toward terrorism.
