The Resistance Front (TRF), linked to the banned terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LET), has claimed responsibility for a recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, resulting in the deaths of 27 people and over 20 injuries. Led by Pakistani national Sheikh Sajjad Gul, the TRF has been accused by the Indian government of undermining peace in Jammu and Kashmir, with connections to LET, Hizbul Mujahideen, and Pakistan’s ISI intelligence agency.
Formed as an online entity following the abrogation of Article 370, the TRF has since transitioned to more violent operations.
Sketches of three suspects connected to the attack have been released, with implications that LET’s deputy chief, Saifullah Khalid, orchestrated the incident. Despite these claims, Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif denied any involvement. A March report confirmed the TRF’s links to LET, prompting an investigation by the National Investigation Agency. This incident marks the largest attack since the 2019 Pulwama assault.
Notably, the TRF seeks to resurrect the violence of the 1990s in Kashmir through targeted killings of non-Kashmiris, primarily Kashmiri Pandits, as part of its strategy to instill fear within the community.
