India Welcomes US Support in Targeting Pahalgam Attack Group

Highlights

TRF is a shadow group of the banned Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror group.

India US news: India welcomed the US move to list The Resistance Front (TRF), responsible for the Pahalgam terror attack, as a terrorist organisation on Friday, terming it a “reaffirmation of our common counter-terrorism goals.”

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, in a post on X, appreciated the efforts of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his department for designating the TRF - a shadow group of the banned Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror group - as a terror group.

"A strong affirmation of India-US counter-terrorism cooperation. Appreciate @SecRubio and @StateDept for designating TRF-a Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT) proxy-as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT). The outfit had claimed responsibility for the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam. The authorities said they would not allow any space to the terrorists. #OpSindoor." he said on X.

In a separate statement, the Ministry of External Affairs said: "India has consistently emphasized the need for global cooperation in the fight against terrorism and the dismantling of terror infrastructure. The designation of The Resistance Front terrorist organisation is a timely and important step reflecting the deep cooperation between India and the United States on counter-terrorism."

The Resistance Front on April 22 said it was responsible for the attack at Baisaran, a tourist spot in Pahalgam also known as ‘mini Switzerland’. 25 tourists, including a Nepali tourist, died in the attack.

In a statement on Thursday, Mr Rubio announced the Department of State's decision to add the TRF under the "Foreign Terrorist Organisation" and "Specially Designated Global Terrorist". "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 said.

“TRF and its aliases are now also designated under LeT’s designation as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) under the Immigration and Nationality Act and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) under Executive Order 13224. The Department of State has revalidated the FTO designation of LeT, and all amendments to that designation will be effective upon publication in the Federal Register,” it added.