The Resistance Front

The Resistance Front
Founders	Muhammad Abbas Sheikh † Sheikh Sajjad Gul
Leader	Abu Hamza
Patron and Supreme Commander	Sheikh Sajjad Gul
Chief operational Commander	Basit Ahmed Dar
Spokesperson	Ahmed Khalid
Dates of operation	2019-present
Split from	Hizbul Mujahideen
Active regions	Jammu and Kashmir
Size	80-120
Allies	File:Logo of PAFF.svg People's Anti-Fascist Front Al-Badr Jaish-e-Mohammed
Opponents	India
Battles and wars	Insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir
Designated as a terrorist group by	India
Website	kashmirfight.com

The Resistance Front or TRF is a militant group involved in the ongoing insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir. Indian security agencies accuse it of being an offshoot of the militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) although TRF claims itself as an indigenous resistance movement fighting for the freedom of Jammu and Kashmir from India, TRF operates primarily in the Kashmir region, with a main base in Srinagar.

TRF was founded by Sheikh Sajjad Gul of Srinagar and Abbas Sheikh of Kulgam a former Hizbul Mujahideen commander after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. TRF is considered the deadliest and biggest militant outfit in the current era of Kashmir militancy. TRF carried out dozens of attacks across Jammu and Kashmir targeting Indian security forces, pro-Indian politicians, migrant laborers, and Kashmiri pundits.

Origins

TRF came into existence as an online entity following the abrogation of Article 370 and the revocation of special status to Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019. While it has connections to LeT, Tehreek-e-Millat Islamia, and Ghaznavi Hind, TRF was named in a way to avoid religious connotations and portray itself as a "people's movement." This nomenclature was intended to avoid scrutiny under the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) as Pakistan sought to present Kashmir militancy as indigenous.

On April 1, 2020, the TRF's name gained prominence after a four-day gun battle near the Line of Control (LoC) in Kupwara's Keran Sector.

Activities

TRF has been linked 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. It has also taken responsibility for attacks in Jammu and Kashmir since 2020.

TRF has emerged as a significant security threat in Jammu and Kashmir, carrying out terror attacks, including targeting minority Kashmiri Pandits and security forces. In 2022, it was responsible for a substantial number of terrorist fatalities in the region. TRF has also been active in recruitment, making it a prominent militant group in India.

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.

Recent Developments

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, LeT commander Riyaz Ahmed, in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

International Implications

Pakistan's inclusion on the FATF's "grey list" in 2018 and its subsequent removal raised questions about TRF's emergence. Some 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.

Ban and Designation

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. The ban was imposed due to suspicions of TRF's involvement in a conspiracy to assassinate Kashmiri journalist Shujaat Bukhari in June 2018.