In a significant diplomatic move echoing a call for justice over the deadly Pahalgam attack, the United States has formally designated The Resistance Front (TRF) as a global terrorist organisation. The announcement was made by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday, marking the TRF as both a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) entity.
The designation comes nearly three months after the April 22, 2025 attack in Pahalgam, in which 26 civilians were killed, the deadliest civilian assault in India since the 2008 Mumbai attacks, which had also involved Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT), the group behind TRF.
Rubio stated that the designation aligns with the US administration’s ongoing efforts to counter terrorism globally and directly supports former President Donald Trump’s public demand for accountability following the Pahalgam killings. “This demonstrates the Trump Administration’s commitment to protecting our national security interests, countering terrorism, and enforcing President Trump’s call for justice,” Rubio said in a statement.
According to the US government, TRF operates as a proxy of Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, a Pakistan-based militant group already on the global terrorist watchlist. The TRF had claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam massacre, further reinforcing intelligence reports that tie the outfit to LeT’s wider network.
The US decision comes on the back of consistent diplomatic engagements between Indian and American officials. After the April attack, Trump had personally reached out to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, conveying strong support in India’s pursuit of justice. The issue was also raised by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in his bilateral meetings with Rubio and during the recent Quad Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Washington.
In addition, a multi-party parliamentary delegation from India, led by senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, visited Washington last month to present detailed briefings to US lawmakers and security officials on TRF’s operational links and Pakistan-based support structures.
The impact of the US designation is twofold. The FTO listing restricts the TRF’s ability to travel internationally and prohibits US entities or persons from providing support. The SDGT status allows the US to freeze the group’s financial assets and restricts its ability to conduct financial transactions.
The US move also reflects heightened concern over LeT’s history of international attacks. The 2008 Mumbai attack, in which six Americans were killed, continues to influence US counterterror policy in South Asia. The connection between TRF and LeT, especially with its growing presence in Jammu & Kashmir, has now drawn renewed scrutiny.
Rubio also noted TRF’s continued involvement in recent attacks beyond the Pahalgam incident. In 2024, the outfit was linked to assaults on Indian security forces. In October last year, TRF operatives reportedly killed six labourers near Sonamarg, including a doctor, and injured five more at a construction site.
Following the Pahalgam attack, India had launched Operation Sindoor, a military retaliation aimed at dismantling LeT’s operational bases across the Line of Control. Though details remain classified, the operation was described as “targeted and strategic” by defence sources.
With the US designation now in effect, the TRF’s international movement and financial capabilities are expected to be severely curtailed. The move also adds pressure on Pakistan, where LeT has long been accused of operating with state support.
While the TRF maintains a shadowy digital presence, mostly through encrypted channels and pseudonymous social media identities, the international crackdown signals a broader effort to isolate terror groups that use proxy networks to evade sanctions and scrutiny.
The designations mark a rare case of coordinated geopolitical consensus on Kashmir-related terrorism and are likely to strengthen counter-terrorism cooperation between New Delhi and Washington in the months ahead.
