On TRF Terror Tag, China Says It's Against All Forms Of Terrorism: 'We Condemn Pahalgam Attack'

News18

3 days ago

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The statement comes after the US designated TRF, a proxy of Pakistan-based LeT, as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist group
China on Friday denounced the Pahalgam terror attack and called on regional nations to strengthen counter‑terror cooperation.
The statement comes after the United States designated The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist group.
In a brief media briefing in Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said, 'China firmly opposes all forms of terrorism and strongly condemns the terrorist attack that occurred on April 22."
Jian added that China urges neighbouring countries to 'enhance counter-terrorism cooperation and jointly maintain regional security and stability".
Earlier today, the US State Department announced the TRF designation, led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. This move is expected to influence discussions in the UN Security Council's 1267 Committee—an international body that imposes asset freezes, travel bans and arms embargoes on terrorist entities.
Under the 1267 sanctions regime, several Pakistani terror groups, including LeT, Jaish‑e‑Mohammad and Jamaat‑ud‑Dawa, along with leaders Hafiz Saeed and Masood Azhar, are already targeted.
Following the Pahalgam attack, the Council condemned the incident on 25 April, though references to TRF and LeT were reportedly dropped after objections from Pakistan and China.
According to Pakistan's Dawn newspaper, the US designation largely echoes India's stance that TRF is a front for LeT. Twenty‑six people were killed in the attack on 22 April in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. TRF initially claimed responsibility before retracting its admission amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan.
In response, India launched Operation Sindoor on 7 May against terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan‑occupied Kashmir. Following four days of cross‑border drone and missile exchanges, India and Pakistan reached a ceasefire understanding on 10 May.
News18 earlier reported that intelligence shared by New Delhi met the rigorous standards required by the US for such listings—a standard often regarded as more demanding than the UN sanctions process, where geopolitical interests can influence outcomes.
The US listing of TRF also highlights how Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar allegedly attempted to shield the group. Notably, Dar reportedly took pride in removing references to TRF from the Security Council's condemnation message following the Pahalgam attack—an attack for which TRF itself had claimed responsibility.
The successful designation by the US serves as both a validation of India's evidence and a diplomatic setback for efforts to obscure the group's role. It also reinforces TRF's identity as a front for the proscribed Lashkar-e-Taiba, affirming its operational ties and culpability in recent acts of terrorism.
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