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'Pahalgam attack was...': What Marco Rubio said as US designates The Resistance Front as terrorist group
The United States designated TRF, behind the deadly Pahalgam attack, as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT).
US secretary of state Marco Rubio said on Thursday that designation of TRF as a terrorist organisation demonstrated President Donald Trump's call for justice for the Pahalgam attack.
The United States on Thursday designated The Resistance Front (TRF), the group behind the deadly Pahalgam attack in Jammu and Kashmir, as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT).
"TRF and other associated aliases have been added to LeT's designation as a FTO and SDGT pursuant to Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act and Executive Order 13224, respectively. The Department of State has also reviewed and maintained the FTO designation of LeT," Rubio said.
Rubio further said that this action against the TRF "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".
"This (Pahalgam attack) was the deadliest attack on civilians in India since the 2008 Mumbai attacks conducted by LeT. TRF has also claimed responsibility for several attacks against Indian security forces, including most recently in 2024," the secretary of state said.
What India did after TRF attacked tourists in Pahalgam
India launched Operation Sindoor early on May 7, targeting nine terror infrastructure sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. This was done in retaliation for the Pahalgam attack of April 22, where TRF terrorists killed 26 people, mostly tourists, in the Jammu and Kashmir resort town.
More than 100 terrorists were killed during attacks on nine locations during Operation Sindoor, the security forces said. The Operation resulted in a conflict with Pakistan, which launched drones and missiles towards Indian territory for days. The security forces successfully repelled Pakistan's intrusions and retaliated in kind, forcing Islamabad to ask for a ceasefire on May 10,
Later in May, seven multi-party delegations from India visited 33 global capitals, including Washington, to reach out to the international community to emphasise Pakistan's links to terrorism.
