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The Resistance Front

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The Resistance Front
FoundersMuhammad Abbas Sheikh †[1]
Sheikh Sajjad Gul[2]
Patron and Supreme CommanderSheikh Sajjad Gul[2]
Current Chief Operational CommanderBasit Ahmed Dar †[3]
SpokespersonAhmed Khalid[4]
Dates of operation2019–present
Split fromHizbul Mujahideen
Lashkar-e-Taiba
MotivesInsurgency against Indian administration of Jammu and Kashmir[5][6][7][8]
Active regionsJammu and Kashmir
Notable attacks
AlliesPeople's Anti-Fascist Front
Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front
Al-Badr (United Liberation Front)[15][5]
Opponents India
Battles and warsInsurgency in Jammu and Kashmir
Designated as a terrorist group by India

The Resistance Front (TRF) is a militant organisation actively engaged in Insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir, and designated as a terrorist organisation in India.[16] Indian government and other experts believe that the organisation was founded by and is an offshoot of Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistan-based Jihadist terrorist group.[17][18][19] The group is responsible for attacks on and killings of civilians, including those belonging to religious minority communities such as Kashmiri Hindus[20][21][22][19] government employees,[23] labourers and business owners, local politicians,[22] and tourists,[24] as well as for several attacks on Indian security forces[18] including local policemen.[25][19]

Formed using cadres of Jihadist groups Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen[20][19][26] in the aftermath of the 2019 abrogation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, TRF uses non-religious nomenclature and symbolism to project a secular image,[17] but has carried out targeted killings of locals from religious minority communities.[22][20][21] The group maintains a significant social media presence, some of which has been traced to Pakistan.[27]

Origins

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The Resistance Front was founded in October 2019 following the abrogation of Article 370 and the revocation of special status to Jammu and Kashmir by the Indian government in August 2019.[14][28] The TRF portrays itself as an indigenous Kashmiri resistance movement fighting for the freedom of Jammu and Kashmir from India, while the Indian government has accused the TRF of being a frontal organization for Lashkar-e-Taiba.[13] The TRF has been noted for using non-religious symbolism, with logos, statements, and attack rationale all being distinct from past Islamist Kashmiri insurgents such as Hizbul Mujahideen, to project a secular image, while continuing to attack religious minorities.[29] On 1 April 2020, the TRF gained prominence after a four-day gun battle near the Line of Control (LoC) in Kupwara's Keran Sector, during which five Indian paracommandos and five TRF militants were killed.[30]

Activities

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TRF attacks have targeted Kashmiri Pandits, Hindus, Sikhs, as well as Muslims.[29] In these attacks on civilians, LeT and HM did not claim responsibility, only the TRF did.[29] TRF has been accused by the Indian government of links to various activities, including planning attacks on security forces and civilians, coordinating the transportation of weapons for proscribed militant groups, recruitment of militants, infiltration across borders, and smuggling of weapons and narcotics.[14]

In 2022, it was responsible for a substantial number of fatalities[among whom?] in the region. TRF has also been active in recruitment, making it a prominent militant group in Jammu and Kashmir.[13][14] The TRF has claimed responsibility for several attacks in Jammu and Kashmir against Indian forces and it has made use of social media videos and posters to spread its propaganda.[13][14]

Notably, TRF claimed responsibility for an attack on security officers in the Anantnag district using the guerilla warfare strategy, citing it as an "act of revenge" for the killing of their leader, commander Riyaz Ahmed, in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.[13][14]

Notable incidents

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  • 5 April 2020: Two TRF militants killed five Indian PARA SF before being killed themselves, in Keran.[31]
  • 18 April 2020: TRF militants ambushed Indian forces, killing at least three and injuring 2 more, in Sopore.[32]
  • 3 May 2020: Five Indian security forces personnel, including one Colonel, one Major, and an Inspector of SOG, killed by two TRF militants who were also killed later.[33]
  • 5 May 2020: four CRPF personnel and one disabled local civilian killed and five CRPF personnel injured. Two rifles stolen from the killed CRPF troopers.[34]
  • 21 May 2020: TRF militants attacked a CRPF/JKP party, killing 2 personnel and injuring a third.[35]
  • 8 June 2020: TRF militants assassinated a Kashmiri Pandit village head (sarpanch).[36]
  • 1 July 2020: TRF militants ambushed Indian forces, killing two and injuring 3 more. A sixty-four-year-old civilian killed in cross-fire, causing anger across Kashmir.[37]
  • 8 July 2020: TRF militants kill 3 civilians, including a local politician, his father and brother.[38]
  • 25 September 2020: TRF militants assassinated Babar Qadri, a prominent local lawyer.[39]
  • 6 October 2020: TRF militants attacked the residence of a local politician, killing PSO of the BJP leader. One TRF militant also killed.[40]
  • 30 October 2020: TRF militants ambushed and killed three civilians who workers of BJP.[41]
  • 8 November 2020: TRF militants encountered Indian forces during a search operation during which three Indian Army personnel, 1 BSF personal and three TRF militants were killed.[42]
  • 23 December 2020: TRF militants threw grenades at a CRPF party and then fired upon them, killing two and injuring another.[43]
  • 31 December 2020: TRF militants assassinated Satpal Nischal, a jeweler.[44]
  • 19 February 2021: TRF militants killed two local policemen in Srinagar.[45]
  • 29 March 2021: TRF militants kill one policeman and two councillors during ambush on a meeting of municipal councilors from the BJP in Sopore.[46]
  • 1 April 2021: TRF militants kill one local policeman during attacked a politician's house.[47]
  • 22 June 2021: TRF militants assassinated a CID Inspector.[48]
  • 27 June 2021: Alleged TRF militants kill three, including a local police officer, his wife and daughter.[49]
  • 7 August 2021: TRF militants killed one local police officer and injured another.[50]
  • 5 October 2021: TRF militants assassinated Makhan Lal Bindro, a Kashmiri Pandit businessman, in Srinagar.[51]
  • 7 October 2021: TRF militants assassinated two non-Muslim teachers, including 1 Hindu and 1 Sikh, in a school in Srinagar.[52]
  • 9 October 2021: TRF militants killed two policemen.[53]
  • 13 September 2023: 2023 Anantnag encounter

International implications

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Pakistan's inclusion on the FATF's "grey list" in 2018 and its subsequent removal raised questions about TRF's emergence. Some[according to whom?] believe that TRF was strategically created to divert attention from LeT and other terror groups under FATF scrutiny. This move allowed Pakistan to maintain plausible deniability for attacks in India.[13]

Ban and designation

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In January 2023, TRF was banned under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) by the Indian government. This action designated its leader, Sheikh Sajjad Gul, as a militant.[54] The ban was imposed due to the Indian government's suspicions of TRF's involvement in a conspiracy to assassinate Kashmiri journalist Shujaat Bukhari in June 2018.[14]

References

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  1. ^ "Who was Abbas Sheikh, TRF chief who revived terrorism in Srinagar?". The Week.
  2. ^ a b India, Press Trust of. "LeT commander Sajjad Gul designated as terrorist".
  3. ^ "Who is Basit Ahmed Dar, and why is he designated as a 'terrorist'?". IbTimes India. 14 July 2023.
  4. ^ "TRF Spokesperson Ahmed Khalid". Hindustan Times. 24 May 2022.
  5. ^ a b Gupta, Shishir (8 May 2020). "Pak launches terror's new face in Kashmir, Imran Khan follows up on Twitter". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  6. ^ "'Pakistan trying to securalise Kashmir militancy': Lashkar regroups in Valley as The Resistance Front". The Indian Express. 5 May 2020. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  7. ^ Gupta, Shishir (8 May 2020). "New J&K terror outfit run by LeT brass: Intel". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  8. ^ Pubby, Manu; Chaudhury, Dipanjan Roy (29 April 2020). "The Resistance Front: New name of terror groups in Kashmir". The Economic Times. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  9. ^ India Today, 6 April 2020
  10. ^ Kashmir: 5 security forces and 2 rebels killed in a gun battle, Al Jazeera, 3 May 2020
  11. ^ Jammu and Kashmir: Municipal Councillor and Policeman Killed in Sopore, The Wire, Insert_the_date_you_accessed_the_source
  12. ^ Four Militants, OGWs Held for 2 June IED Blast in Shopian, Kashmir Pulse, 7 June 2022
  13. ^ a b c d e f "What is The Resistance Front, responsible for killing of 3 security officers in J&K's Anantnag?". Firstpost. 14 September 2023. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  14. ^ a b c d e f g Lavania, Sudeep (14 September 2023). "Why Pakistan-backed The Resistance Front has become biggest headache of security forces in Kashmir". India Today. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  15. ^ TRF And ULF active in Jammu and Kashmir Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen leaders form the core of the TRF in Insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir and ULF is Group of Al Badr but also working with TRF against India
  16. ^ Joy, Shemin (6 January 2023). "Centre bans LeT's proxy outfit 'The Resistance Front'". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
  17. ^ a b Raseed, Adil (4 August 2020), "The August 5 Anniversary: J&K on Home Straight", MP-IDSA
  18. ^ a b Masood, Bashaarat (5 May 2020), "'Pakistan trying to securalise Kashmir militancy': Lashkar regroups in Valley as The Resistance Front?", The Indian Express
  19. ^ a b c d "What is The Resistance Front, responsible for killing of 3 security officers in J&K?". Firstpost. 14 September 2024.
  20. ^ a b c "Positioning The Resistance Front (TRF) in Kashmir's militancy landscape". Observer Research Foundation. 15 December 2021. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
  21. ^ a b Basak, Saptarshi (11 October 2021). "The Resistance Front: The Invisible, LeT-Backed Outfit Terrorising Kashmir". The Quint.
  22. ^ a b c Shukla, Tejusvi (4 August 2020), "Secularization of Militancy in Kashmir: Myth or Reality?", MP-IDSA
  23. ^ Majid, Zulfikar (22 April 2024). "Govt employee shot dead by terrorists in J&K's Rajouri". Deccan Herald.
  24. ^ Gupta, Manoj (19 May 2024). "Lashkar-Backed TRF Behind 2 Terror Attacks In Kashmir Ahead Of Monday's Polls: Intel Sources". News 18.
  25. ^ "Lashkar-Backed TRF Behind 2 Terror Attacks In Kashmir Ahead Of Monday's Polls: Intel Sources". India TV News. 19 February 2021.
  26. ^ Mir, Shakir (26 June 2021). "Why Militants Are Turning to Srinagar – Again". The Wire.
  27. ^ Gupta, Shishir (8 May 2020), "New J&K terror outfit run by LeT brass: Intel", Hindustan Times
  28. ^ "The Resistance Front (TRF): Major Challenge for Kashmir Security Post Article 370, Behind Anantnag Gunfight". Times Now. 14 September 2023. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  29. ^ a b c "Secularization of Militancy in Kashmir: Myth or Reality? | Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses". www.idsa.in. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
  30. ^ Ashiq, Peerzada (9 October 2021). "The Resistance Front | Faceless killers in the Valley". The Hindu. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  31. ^ "Kupwara encounter: 5 soldiers killed as Army fights infiltrators in north Kashmir". India Today. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  32. ^ "J&K: Three CRPF jawans killed, 2 injured in militant attack in Sopore, LeT module claims responsibility". India Today. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  33. ^ "Kashmir: 5 security forces and 2 rebels killed in a gun battle". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  34. ^ "Caught in crossfire, handicapped Handwara boy laid to rest at Baramulla – The Real Kashmir News". 5 May 2020. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  35. ^ "J&K policeman killed, another 2 injured in militant attack in Pulwama". India Today. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  36. ^ "'What Was His Fault?': Family And Neighbors Mourn Kashmiri Pandit Sarpanch Killed By Suspected Militants". HuffPost. 10 June 2020. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  37. ^ "Photo of toddler sitting on his grandfather's body angers Kashmir". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  38. ^ Mushtaq, Tasavur (9 July 2020). "Bandipora Attack: The Complete Story". Kashmir Life. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  39. ^ "Prominent Kashmiri lawyer-activist shot dead in Srinagar". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  40. ^ gk-news-network (2 November 2020). "Attack on BJP leader in Ganderbal | 3 militant associates arrested: Police". Greater Kashmir. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  41. ^ "3 BJP workers shot dead in Jammu & Kashmir; Resistance Front claims responsibility". The Economic Times. 30 October 2020. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  42. ^ "2 Army, 1 BSF soldiers killed in ongoing operation at LoC in J&K's Kupwara". India Today. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  43. ^ "Three CRPF jawans injured in grenade attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Ganderbal". India Today. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  44. ^ "Violence in Kashmir: Why a Spike in Killings Signals an Ominous New Trend". www.crisisgroup.org. 28 June 2022. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  45. ^ PTI (19 February 2021). "2 J&K policemen killed in militant attack in Srinagar's Baghat". ThePrint. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  46. ^ "Sopore Militant Attack: Injured Municipal Councillor Succumbs To Injuries". The Wire. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  47. ^ PTI (1 April 2021). "Policeman killed in militant attack on residence of BJP leader Anwar Ahmad in Srinagar". ThePrint. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  48. ^ "CID Inspector Shot Dead In Nowgam". Kashmir Observer. 22 June 2021. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  49. ^ Majid, DHNS, Zulfikar. "Policeman, his wife, daughter shot dead by militants in J&K's Pulwama". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  50. ^ "Cop killed, two others injured in militant attack in Kulgam". Greater Kashmir. 7 August 2021. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  51. ^ "Kashmiri Pandit businessman shot by unidentified gunmen in Srinagar". India Today. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  52. ^ "Two Kashmir schoolteachers shot dead as civilian killings spike". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  53. ^ "2 policemen injured in Kulgam militant attack". Greater Kashmir. 9 October 2021. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  54. ^ Singh, Vijaita (5 January 2023). "Centre declares The Resistance Front a terrorist organisation". The Hindu. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
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