UNSC Monitoring Team Names “The Resistance Front” in Pahalgam Attack, Citing LeT Links

New Delhi: In a major diplomatic victory for India and a severe setback for Pakistan, a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Monitoring Team (MT) report under the 1267 Sanctions Committee has identified The Resistance Front (TRF) as the group that twice claimed responsibility for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, subsequently publishing a photograph of the site before retracting its claim on April 26. The report noted that “one Member State said the attack could not have happened without the support of Lashkar-e-Tayyaba (LeT) and that there was a relationship between LeT and TRF, while another Member State said that the attack was carried out by TRF, which was synonymous with LeT.” A third Member State, believed to be Pakistan, rejected these views, claiming that LeT was defunct. One of the supporting states is understood to be the United States, which has strongly backed India on counter terrorism issues at the UN.

Indian government sources highlighted several points: Pakistan’s strategy of “plausible deniability,” using secular-sounding names like TRF and “People Against Fascist Front” to divert attention from LeT and Jaish e Mohammed (JeM), has been exposed. This is the first time TRF has been named in an MT report. Sources noted that Pakistan’s finance minister Ishaq Dar had boasted in April about forcing the removal of TRF references from a UNSC press statement. The MT report’s mention of TRF “shows how the world views Pakistan’s lies and deceitful narrative” and marks the first reference to LeT or other Pakistan based terror groups in a report since 2019. Its inclusion, despite Pakistan’s objections, underscores Pakistan’s involvement in fomenting terrorism in Jammu & Kashmir and attests to India’s credibility on counter terrorism at the UN.

Of the UNSC’s 15 members, the five Permanent members (P 5) each wield veto power. The fact that only one member, believed to be Pakistan, opposed parts of the report, and that China did not object, is seen as a relief for New Delhi.

The MT report, dated July 24, stated: “On 22 April, five terrorists attacked a tourist spot in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, killing 26 civilians. The Resistance Front (TRF) claimed responsibility the same day and published a photograph of the attack site, repeating the claim on 23 April. On 26 April, however, TRF retracted its claim. No other group claimed responsibility. Regional relations remain fragile, and terrorist groups may exploit these tensions. One Member State said the attack could not have happened without Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT) support and that LeT and TRF were linked. Another Member State said the attack was carried out by TRF, synonymous with LeT. One Member State rejected these views, claiming LeT was defunct.”

Sources said the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has provided detailed inputs on TRF and other Pakistan sponsored proxies to the MT since December 2023. In 2024, the MEA submitted information twice on TRF-LeT linkages and led an inter-ministerial delegation to brief MT members and senior UN officials in New York in May 2024, sharing a dossier on TRF. Separate briefings were held for like-minded Security Council members and other key UN states, with sustained follow up by Indian missions abroad and parliamentary delegations raising TRF’s role. This outcome, sources said, demonstrates India’s strong counter terrorism credentials, global recognition, and close cooperation with like minded countries. It also highlights Pakistan’s obstructive stance on counter-terrorism, the international community’s awareness of the threat from Pakistan-based groups, and Pakistan’s role as a key exporter of terrorism.

Notably, less than two weeks ago, the United States, acting on President Donald Trump’s call for justice for the Pahalgam attack—designated TRF as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT). India welcomed this decision.