In a big diplomatic win for India, the UN Security Council’s 1267 Sanctions Committee Monitoring Team has officially named The Resistance Front (TRF) about the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, substantiating its ties with Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT) and Pakistan backing. The attack killed 26 Indian nationals.
The most recent UN report, as part of the Monitoring Team’s report under the 1267 Committee, clearly names TRF—a LeT proxy—as the organization behind the fatal attack on Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam area. This is the first time Lashkar-e-Tayyiba has been mentioned in a UN report since 2019.
“The paragraph on TRF and the Pahalgam terror attack is the first section under the South Asia Section and the longest. It is in line with what we have been saying on the connections of the TRF and the LeT and their patronage by Pakistan,” said government sources.
What the UN Report Says
The report added that TRF had already taken responsibility for the attack in Pahalgam twice, and had even released a photo of the attack location to confirm the outfit’s direct role. But within a few days, on April 26, the outfit withdrew the claim and fell silent.
The Monitoring Team used inputs from the member states, with one reporting, “The attack would not have been possible without LeT support, and that LeT had a relationship with TRF.” Another country indicated that “the attack was perpetrated by TRF, which was interchangeable with LeT.”
Why This Recognition Matters
India has traditionally held that Pakistan utilizes front organizations such as TRF to provide an indigenous cover to its terrorist operations in Jammu and Kashmir, obscuring their true connections with proscribed jihadist groups such as LeT and JeM.
“The reference to the TRF in the MT Report is the way the world sees Pakistan’s falsehood and deceitful narrative… Pakistan’s game of plausible deniability now lies deflated,” sources said.
The mention of TRF in the report is indicative of a consensus among UNSC members, since all documents and decisions made by the 1267 Committee must be approved unanimously. The mentioning of TRF and its connection to LeT and Pakistan is thus especially effective on an international level.
India’s Diplomatic Efforts Pay Off
India has proactively approached the UN and global missions to urge acceptance of Pakistan-backed terror groups. As per reports, since December 2023, India has provided detailed dossiers and input of intelligence on TRF’s activities and affiliations.
In May 2024, an MEA-headed inter-ministerial team presented to the Monitoring Team and other UN personnel in New York, reinforcing the TRF case. Resident Missions in New Delhi and Indian diplomatic missions overseas coordinated relentless follow-ups, augmented by parliamentary delegations bringing the issue across the world.
The move follows closely after the United States labeled TRF as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) in July 2025. The U.S. Department of State cited TRF’s direct role in several attacks, such as the Pahalgam massacre, labeling the action part of the administration’s dedication to “justice and national security.”
Background on TRF
Established in 2019, TRF has been serving as a proxy for LeT, recruiting local youths on social media, arranging cross-border infiltration, and importing weapons and narcotics into Jammu and Kashmir. The group was officially banned by India in 2023 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.
TRF’s commander and founder, Sheikh Sajjad Gul, has already been listed as a terrorist under the same act. The organization has taken responsibility for several attacks on civilians, political figures, and security officials in the area.
