What is 'The Resistance Front', Lashkar-e-Taiba offshoot behind Pahalgam terror attack

The Resistance Front, an offshoot of Lashkar-e-Taiba, has claimed the responsibility for the Pahalgam terror attack. So far, there has been no official confirmation of the casualties.

A PTI report citing local sources say that as many as 20 people have been injured in the terror attack on a resort in Pahalgam’s Baisaran Valley. Union Home Minister Amit Shah will be reaching Srinagar in the evening to hold an urgent security meeting. In a post on X, Shah also said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also been briefed about the terror attack.

The terror outfit in question was banned by the Centre under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act back in January, 2023. The Resistance Front first emerged after the Narendra Modi government abrogated Article 370 on August 5, 2019. Initially an online forum, the terror outfit became an offline entity in less than six months.

Drawing recruits from Lashkar and other terror groups, the group has been responsible for several attacks. Its founder Sheikh Sajjad Gul also known as Sheikh Sajjad claims that the group is against “local oppression” and has distanced itself from Pakistan or influence of Hafiz Saeed.

Born on October 10, 1974 in Srinagar, the founder of The Resistance Front was designated as terrorist by the Indian government in 2022. Probe into the workings of the group reveals that the funding channels used Lashkar are also working for it. According to a 2022 data, out of 172 terrorists that were killed in Jammu and Kashmir, 108 were linked to The Resistance Front. Another data showed that out of 100 new terrorists, 74 of them were recruited by the TRF.

The last major attack in which TRF was involved was Ganderbal terror attack. Seven people were gunned down in the North Kashmir’s region at a construction site last year.