US designates TRF, which claimed responsibility for Pahalgam attack, as terror group
The US State Department said that it had added TRF to its list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations and Specially Designated Global Terrorists.
TRF is an affiliate of the terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba, according to the Indian government.
Lashkar-e-Taiba and all its affiliates, including TRF, are designated terror outfits in India under the 1967 Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.
The terror attack at Baisaran near Pahalgam town in Jammu and Kashmir on April 22 left 26 persons dead and 16 injured. The terrorists targeted tourists after asking their names to ascertain their religion, the police said. All but three of those killed were Hindu.
On May 7, New Delhi had said that TRF had claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam attack.
The US State Department said that besides Pahalgam, TRF had claimed responsibility for several terror attacks against Indian security forces, including most recently in 2024.
'These actions taken by the Department of State demonstrates the Trump administration's commitment to protecting our national security interests, countering terrorism and enforcing President [Donald] Trump's call for justice for the Pahalgam attack,' the department said.
The US also maintained the foreign terror group designation given to the Lashkar-e-Taiba.
In response to the Pahalgam attack, India on May 7 launched military strikes – codenamed Operation Sindoor – on what New Delhi claimed were terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
India had exercised its right to retaliate responsibly to the Pahalgam attack, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri had said, adding that there were indications of further impending attacks against the country.
Misri had said that the Pahalgam attack was driven by the terrorists' objective to disrupt normalcy returning to Jammu and Kashmir and hurt the booming tourism industry. The attack was also aimed at provoking communal discord in India, he added.
The foreign secretary said that Pakistan had not taken clear steps to act against terrorists in its territory and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
The Pakistani military had retaliated to Indian strikes by repeatedly shelling Indian villages along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir. At least 22 Indian civilians and eight defence personnel were killed.
On May 10, India and Pakistan reached an 'understanding' to halt firing following a four-day conflict.
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Time of India
30 minutes ago
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