 "Indian security officers patrol in armored vehicles near Pahalgam in south Kashmir after assailants indiscriminately opened fired at tourists in Pahalgam on Tuesday. AP")
Lashkar-e-Taiba offshoot The Resistance Front has reportedly claimed responsibility for the terror attack in Pahalgam, which has claimed as many as 27 lives, according to a report.
The Resistance Front (TRF) was officially designated a terrorist organisation by the Indian government under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in January 2023.
The group emerged shortly after the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019. Initially functioning as an online outfit, it evolved into an active militant group within six months.
Drawing fighters from Lashkar-e-Taiba and other militant organisations, TRF has been linked to several deadly attacks across Jammu and Kashmir. Its founder, Sheikh Sajjad Gul—also known as Sheikh Sajjad — claims the group’s agenda is rooted in resistance to “local oppression” and has publicly distanced TRF from Pakistan and Lashkar founder Hafiz Saeed.
Born on October 10, 1974, in Srinagar, Sheikh Sajjad Gul was declared a terrorist by the Indian government in 2022. Investigations have revealed that TRF utilises the same funding networks as Lashkar-e-Taiba to support its operations.
According to 2022 data, 108 of the 172 terrorists killed in Jammu and Kashmir were affiliated with TRF.
Additionally, 74 out of 100 newly recruited militants that year were linked to the group. TRF’s last major attack was in Ganderbal, where seven individuals were shot dead at a construction site in North Kashmir.
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More ShortsWith inputs from agencies