The Resistance Front (TRF), a shadow group linked to the banned Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), has denied its involvement in the deadly April 22 Pahalgam attack that claimed the lives of 26 people, mostly tourists.
“TRF unequivocally denies any involvement in the Pahalgam incident. Any attribution of this act to TRF is false, hasty,” the orgnaization said in a statement.
The group further explained that an “unauthorised message” was posted on one of their digital platforms shortly after the attack, falsely claiming responsibility. The TRF said it believes the message was part of an “orchestrated campaign” aimed at “maligning the Kashmiri resistance.”
The group also suggested that the incident might be linked to a “coordinated cyber intrusion.” The statement said, “After an internal audit, we have reason to believe it was the result of a coordinated cyber intrusion. We are conducting a full investigation to trace the breach, and early indicators suggest fingerprints of Indian cyber-intelligence operatives.”
TRF went on to accuse India of “manufacturing chaos for political gain” and stated that this is not the first time such tactics have been used.
Following the attack, Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed to pursue the perpetrators “to the ends of the earth” and pledged to “identify, track and punish every terrorist and their backers.”
In response to the attack, India announced several diplomatic measures, including suspending the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme for Pakistani nationals, expelling Pakistani military attaches, and suspending the Indus Water Treaty. Pakistan, in turn, suspended trade with India, shut its airspace to Indian airlines, and rejected India’s suspension of the water treaty, calling it an “act of war.”
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had designated TRF as a “terrorist organization” under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in January 2023 for promoting terrorism and facilitating infiltration and smuggling in Jammu and Kashmir. The group was formed in 2019 as a proxy of LeT.
