Daijiworld Media Network – Washington
Washington, Jul 18: In a decisive move underscoring its commitment to counterterrorism, the United States on Thursday officially designated The Resistance Front (TRF) as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) entity. The action comes in the wake of the deadly April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed 26 civilian lives—one of the worst attacks on Indian soil in recent times.
According to a statement issued by the US State Department, the TRF is a proxy outfit of the Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and has been involved in a string of violent attacks against Indian civilians and security forces. The group had openly claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam massacre, triggering widespread outrage and international condemnation.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in a strongly worded statement, said, "These actions taken by the Department of State demonstrate 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 designation has been made under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act and Executive Order 13224, which target foreign entities and individuals who pose a significant risk to US citizens or international stability through terrorism. The designation brings with it a freeze on all TRF-linked assets in the US and makes it illegal for American entities to engage with the group.
In addition to TRF, the existing terror designation of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT)—already recognised globally as a dangerous terror group—has also been reviewed and reaffirmed.
This announcement closely follows India's launch of ‘Operation Sindoor’, a bold retaliatory offensive against terror infrastructure across the Pakistan border and in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The Indian action was in direct response to the Pahalgam massacre, aiming to dismantle terrorist launchpads and eliminate their facilitators.
The US move has been welcomed in Indian strategic and diplomatic circles, with experts calling it a "clear message" to Pakistan and its state-sponsored terror networks. Security agencies believe this designation could help in disrupting TRF’s international funding, recruitment, and logistical operations.
With international pressure mounting, and operations intensifying on both sides of the border, the coming days may witness further escalations in India's counter-terror strategy, aimed at neutralising threats emanating from across the border.