BEIJING, July 18: China, on Friday, responded cautiously to the United States’ designation of The Resistance Front (TRF) as a foreign terrorist organization. TRF, a proxy group linked to the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT), was implicated in the deadly Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, 2023, which left 26 people dead. China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Lin Jian, condemned the attack and reiterated China’s opposition to all forms of terrorism. He also called for stronger regional counterterrorism cooperation to ensure regional security and stability.
The US State Department’s decision to label TRF as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) follows India’s claims that TRF is a front for LeT. This move is expected to have broader implications, especially within the UN Security Council’s 1267 Committee, which is responsible for designating terrorists and their affiliates. Several Pakistani terrorist groups, including LeT and Jaish-e-Mohammad, are already listed under the UNSC sanctions regime.
The US designation of TRF aligns with India’s viewpoint, which links the group to LeT, and is seen as a diplomatic victory for India. The Pahalgam attack, initially claimed by TRF, escalated tensions between India and Pakistan, leading to India’s retaliatory Operation Sindoor in May 2023, targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The two countries eventually agreed to end the conflict on May 10 after intense cross-border strikes.
Despite the US action, China and Pakistan are likely to resist international efforts to sanction TRF further, as evidenced by their objections to including TRF and LeT in a recent UNSC statement condemning the Pahalgam attack. (PTI)
