US designates group behind Pahalgam attack 'Foreign Terrorist Organisation'

The US Department of State on Thursday (July 17) designated The Resistance Front (TRF), the group behind the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, as a terrorist organisation, as per news agency ANI.

In a statement issued by the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, the statement acknowledged the fact that the organisation claimed responsibility for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed the lives of 26 civilians.

Also read | Pahalgam attack: NIA arrests 2 men for sheltering terrorists

The US, therefore, accorded the TRF as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT).

Reflects US resolve

"Today, the Department of State is adding The Resistance Front (TRF) as a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT). TRF, a Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT) front and proxy, claimed responsibility for the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam attack, which killed 26 civilians. This was the deadliest attack on civilians in India since the 2008 Mumbai attacks conducted by LeT. TRF has also claimed responsibility for several attacks against Indian security forces, including most recently in 2024," the statement read.

The statement said that this action demonstrated the US President Donald Trump administration's commitment to countering terrorism.

"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 statement said.

"TRF and other associated aliases have been added to LeT's designation as an FTO and SDGT pursuant to section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act and Executive Order 13224, respectively. The Department of State has also reviewed and maintained the FTO designation of LeT. Amendments to FTO designations go into effect upon publication in the Federal Register," the statement added.

Jaishankar for firm stance

Earlier on Tuesday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar stressed the importance of taking an uncompromising stance against terrorism, citing the recent Pahalgam terrorist attack in India, which was condemned by the UN Security Council.

Also read | EAM Jaishankar flags Pahalgam attack at SCO meet

The minister was speaking at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers Meeting in Tianjin. He highlighted three evils - terrorism, separatism and extremism, which often occur together in his X post.

Jaishankar said, "Recently, we in India witnessed a graphic example in the terrorist attack in Pahalgam on 22 April 2025. It was deliberately conducted to undermine the tourism economy of Jammu and Kashmir, while sowing a religious divide…It is imperative that the SCO, to remain true to its founding objectives, take an uncompromising position on this challenge."