‘China firmly opposes…': Beijing's FIRST reaction after US labels Pakistan-backed The Resistance Front as global terror outfit following Pahalgam attack

India.com

7 days ago

China has strongly condemned the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam and said that countries in the region need to work together more closely to fight terrorism and keep the area safe. After the US officially listed The Resistance Front (TRF) as a foreign terrorist group, China supported the decision. A spokesperson from China's Foreign Ministry, Lin Jian, said it was a helpful step in stopping terrorist threats.
When asked about the U.S. action, Lin said, 'China firmly opposes all forms of terrorism and strongly condemns the terrorist attack that occurred on April 22. China calls on regional countries to enhance counterterrorism cooperation and jointly maintain regional security and stability,' he said.
In a statement, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that The Resistance Front (TRF) had claimed responsibility for the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, where 26 people were killed.
Because of this, the U.S. has officially labeled TRF as both a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT).
'Today, the U.S. State Department is designating The Resistance Front (TRF) as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist,' the statement said. 'TRF is a front group for Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and took credit for the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam attack, which killed 26 civilians. This was the deadliest civilian attack in India since the 2008 Mumbai attacks, also carried out by LeT. TRF has also claimed other attacks on Indian security forces, including several in 2024.'
The statement added that this step showed the Trump administration's strong commitment to fighting terrorism.
What Pakistan Said?
Pakistan has said that it has already broken down the terror groups linked to the Pahalgam attack and rejected any connection between the attack and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), calling it an unfair claim.
In a statement, Pakistan's Foreign Office said: 'We have completely shut down such groups, arrested their leaders, and worked on changing the mindset of their followers.'
They also said that the investigation into the April 22 Pahalgam attack is still not complete, and trying to link it to LeT, which they say no longer exists and is banned in Pakistan, does not reflect the truth.
'Pakistan strongly condemns all kinds of terrorism. We don't support it at all and are committed to working with other countries to fight it.'
Although The Resistance Front (TRF) had first taken responsibility for the attack, it later withdrew its claim, especially as tensions between India and Pakistan began to rise.