All About The Resistance Front — The Lashkar-e-Taiba Proxy In The Crosshairs Of The Ongoing Encounter In J&K's Anantnag

In a tragic encounter in Anantnag, Jammu and Kashmir, three security force officers lost their lives yesterday in an ongoing operation against terrorists believed to be affiliated with The Resistance Front (TRF).

The casualties included Colonel Manpreet Singh, Commanding officer of the Rashtriya Rifles battalion stationed in the area, alongwith Major Ashish Dhonak and Jammu and Kashmir Police (JKP) Deputy Superintendent (DSP) Humayun Bhat.

This militant outfit, known for its involvement in numerous acts of terror in J&K, has become a significant challenge for security forces in the region.

The encounter in Anantnag is the latest in a series of incidents involving TRF, which, according to security forces, is believed to be a front of the notorious Pakistan-based terror organization Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

In 2019, following the abrogation of Article 370, TRF emerged as an online entity and later evolved into a physical entity with the inclusion of terrorists from various outfits, including the LeT.

It gets regular support from the existing Pakistani Army's well-oiled terror machinery. According to security officials, the organization receives funding to sustain its activities from the same sources that fund the operations of LeT.

Pakistan, where the entire higher leadership of LeT is based out of, wanted some respite from the hard-hitting sanctions and was desperate to get out of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) gray list.

The TRF provided this opportunity as it diverted attention from the LeT.

Additionally, Pakistan wanted this to look like an indigenous resistance movement, since names of outfits like LeT and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) have religious connotations.

TRF's activities include planning and executing attacks on security personnel and innocent civilians, facilitating weapons and narcotics smuggling, recruitment of terrorists, and infiltration of militants from across the border.

Additionally, the group engages in psychological operations on social media platforms to incite individuals in Jammu and Kashmir to join terrorist outfits.

One of the most concerning aspects of TRF's activities is its involvement in targeting minority communities.

The outfit has issued threats to the Sikh community in Jammu and Kashmir and has warned Sikh youths working as Special Police Officers (SPOs) that they would be labeled as RSS agents and targeted.

The Indian government banned TRF earlier this year under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and designated its commander, Sheikh Sajjad Gul, as a terrorist.

Gul, suspected of being involved in the conspiracy to kill Kashmiri journalist Shujaat Bukhari in 2018, is believed to have played a significant role in TRF's operations.

The Resistance Front is known for claiming responsibility for a significant number of attacks in J&K, which often serves to deflect attention from the LeT.

(Also Read: What We Know So Far About The Encounter In Anantnag That Killed Three Security Forces' Personnel)