Thu Jul 17 22:54:32 UTC 2025: **Summary:**

The United States has designated The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of the Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), as a foreign terrorist organization. This decision follows the April 22 Pahalgam attack in Jammu and Kashmir, India, which resulted in 26 deaths and for which TRF initially claimed responsibility. The U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, stated that this action reflects the U.S.’s commitment to countering terrorism and seeking justice for the attack, which he described as the deadliest on civilians in India since the 2008 Mumbai attacks. India responded to the Pahalgam attack with Operation Sindoor, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan. India also dispatched multi-party delegations to 33 global capitals, including Washington, to highlight Pakistan’s connection to terrorism.

**News Article:**

**U.S. Designates LeT Proxy Group as Terrorist Organization Following Pahalgam Attack**

**WASHINGTON, July 18, 2025** – The United States has officially designated The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy group linked to the Pakistan-based terrorist organization Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO). The move comes in response to the deadly April 22 attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed the lives of 26 people.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the designation, stating that it reflects the U.S.’s commitment to combating terrorism and ensuring justice for the victims of the Pahalgam attack. The U.S. State Department has also maintained its FTO designation of LeT.

“This action demonstrates the Trump administration’s commitment to protecting our national security interests, countering terrorism, and enforcing President Trump’s call for justice for the Pahalgam attack,” said Secretary Rubio in a statement.

The Pahalgam attack, for which TRF initially claimed responsibility before retracting the claim, was described by the U.S. as the deadliest on civilians in India since the 2008 Mumbai attacks perpetrated by LeT. India’s National Investigation Agency has identified Sheikh Sajjad Gul as the mastermind behind the Pahalgam attack.

In the wake of the Pahalgam attack, India launched Operation Sindoor, targeting terror infrastructure sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Furthermore, India dispatched multi-party delegations to 33 global capitals, including Washington, to emphasize Pakistan’s links to terrorism and garner international support.

The U.S. designation of TRF as a terrorist organization is expected to further strain relations between the U.S. and Pakistan and to provide India with additional leverage in its efforts to combat terrorism originating from Pakistan.

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