Recently, the United States declared The Resistance Front (TRF) a terrorist organization. However, Indian intelligence agencies warn that Pakistan might rename this group again to escape global scrutiny and continue its proxy war against India.
TRF was established in 2019 when Article 370 was revoked in Jammu and Kashmir by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). It is considered as a covert form of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
The Truth About TRF
Pakistan created TRF to portray terrorism in Kashmir as a local insurgency, avoiding its label as foreign jihad to bypass global financial monitoring bodies like FATF and US-UN blacklisting.
Source: aajtak
However, the reality is that TRF has attacked security forces and civilians in Kashmir Valley, such as the Pahalgam attack. It supplies weapons, recruits locals, and smuggles arms and narcotics across the Line of Control (LoC), functioning similarly to LeT.
Leadership and Structure
TRF was started by Muhammad Abbas Sheikh, now deceased. It is currently led by Sheikh Sajjad Gul (Supreme Commander). The operational chief Basit Ahmed Dar was killed, but Ahmed Khalid (Spokesperson) continues to manage the organization.
They appear separate from LeT, but operate within the jihad framework set up by Pakistan in Kashmir for decades. Its headquarters are in Muridke, Pakistan, with reports of relocation to Bahawalpur. Support comes from groups like Jamaat-ud-Dawa and Falah-e-Insaniyat.
Recruitment and Propaganda
TRF promotes based on Ahle-Hadith and Salafi Islam while avoiding sectarian conflict among Muslims, promoting pan-Islamic jihad mainly targeting Hindus, Jews, and Christians. It depicts jihad as both a religious and nationalistic duty to Kashmiri youth.
Source: aajtak
Recruitment taps into martyr stories and a sense of purpose. Intelligence reports suggest that most recruits are educated, shown as victims of injustices in Kashmir.
New Threat
In light of the U.S. ban, Indian agencies believe Pakistan might adopt a new name. India is preparing a dossier showing links between the new and previous names, sharing it with the US, FATF, and UN to ensure name changes don't shield terror activities. Intelligence agencies are monitoring new ‘resistance’ groups in Kashmir, especially focusing on online propaganda, cross-border communication, and terror funding.
Constant Vigilance Required
The TRF ban is a major triumph, yet Pakistan's time-worn tactic of renaming to mask terror poses a fresh threat. India is committed to unveiling every new alias and challenging it on the international stage, ensuring tranquility and security in Kashmir through vigilance and decisive action.
