US labels The Resistance Front a terrorist group after deadly Kashmir attack

In April 2023, a significant terror attack occurred in Pahalgam, Kashmir, resulting in the deaths of 26 civilians. The incident involved assailants armed with automatic weapons who targeted unarmed tourists in the Baisaran Valley. Initial claims of responsibility for the attack were made by The Resistance Front, which later retracted its statement. The US Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated that this group, which emerged in 2019, operates as a front for Lashkar-e-Taiba, already designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the US. Following the attack, Indian authorities swiftly blamed Pakistan for harboring militant groups responsible for such violence, leading to increased tensions between the two countries. India undertook military operations targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan while the US imposed new sanctions as a demonstration of its commitment to counter-terrorism. The incident is significant, as it marked one of the deadliest attacks on civilians in India since the 2008 Mumbai attacks. Analysis suggests that the designation of The Resistance Front by the US reflects its commitment to supporting India amid rising concerns regarding terrorism originating from Pakistan. The attack has heightened fears of military conflict along the sensitive Indian-Pakistani border, raising questions about the long-standing dispute over Kashmir and the complex dynamics between these nuclear-armed states.