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The Resistance Front (TRF) and the Return of Proxy Militancy in Kashmir – July 2025 Update

The rugged valleys of Jammu and Kashmir, long a crucible of geopolitical strife, have witnessed a resurgence of violence in 2025, driven by the activities of The Resistance Front (TRF), a Pakistan-backed militant group. Emerging as a potent force in the region’s insurgency landscape, TRF has capitalized on the volatile India-Pakistan dynamics following India’s Operation Sindoor in May 2025, which targeted terrorist infrastructure across the Line of Control (LoC). The group’s involvement in arms smuggling, targeted killings, and online propaganda marks a revival of proxy militancy, challenging India’s security framework and threatening regional stability. This article explores the historical and strategic context of TRF’s rise, details its operations and India’s counter-responses in July 2025, and analyzes the broader regional and global implications, offering insights into the evolving nature of the Kashmir conflict.

The roots of TRF’s emergence lie in the complex history of the Kashmir insurgency, which has been shaped by India-Pakistan rivalry since the 1947 partition. The LoC, established after the 1971 war, divides Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir from Pakistan-administered Azad Kashmir, serving as a flashpoint for cross-border militancy. The 1980s saw a surge in separatist violence, fueled by Pakistan’s support for groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Hizbul Mujahideen, which used smuggled arms to wage insurgency against Indian forces. The abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, which revoked Jammu and Kashmir’s special status, marked a turning point, intensifying local grievances over demographic changes and land rights. TRF emerged in October 2019 as a proxy of LeT, designed to project a secular, indigenous image while evading international scrutiny, particularly from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), which had placed Pakistan on its grey list in 2018. Unlike its predecessors, TRF avoids overt religious symbolism, framing its attacks as resistance against India’s policies, such as the issuance of residency permits to non-locals. Indian authorities allege that Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) orchestrates TRF’s operations, using it to maintain plausible deniability while continuing proxy warfare.

Strategically, TRF’s formation reflects Pakistan’s adaptation to global counterterrorism pressures. The group’s leadership, including figures like Sheikh Sajjad Gul and former LeT operatives, operates from Pakistan, coordinating recruitment, arms smuggling, and propaganda through encrypted platforms like Telegram. TRF’s focus on targeted killings of security personnel, civilians, and minorities, including Kashmiri Hindus and Sikhs, aims to destabilize the region and disrupt India’s integration efforts. The group’s use of social media, notably through its Jhelum Media House, amplifies its narrative, portraying attacks as responses to India’s policies. The 2019 abrogation, coupled with the 2024 Waqf (Amendment) Act, which critics argue dilutes Muslim land rights, has provided TRF with a pretext to target “outsiders” and fuel local discontent. India’s designation of TRF as a terrorist organization under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in January 2023, along with a ₹10 lakh bounty on Gul, underscores its threat level, yet the group’s adaptability has sustained its operations.

In July 2025, TRF’s activities have intensified, marking a significant escalation in Kashmir’s proxy militancy. The group’s involvement in the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam attack, which killed 26 tourists in Baisaran meadow, highlighted its capacity for high-impact operations. Initially claiming responsibility via Telegram, TRF later retracted its claim, alleging a cyber intrusion by Indian intelligence, a move analysts suggest was prompted by widespread Kashmiri protests and Pakistani diplomatic pressure. The attack, the deadliest on civilians since the 2008 Mumbai attacks, targeted Hindu tourists, with TRF citing opposition to India’s resettlement policies. Indian security agencies link the attack to LeT operatives in Muzaffarabad, with Saifullah Kasuri, a senior LeT figure, allegedly masterminding it. The U.S. designation of TRF as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) on July 17, 2025, reflects its growing threat, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio citing its LeT ties and role in the Pahalgam massacre.

TRF’s arms smuggling operations have surged in 2025, exploiting the chaos following Operation Sindoor. Launched on May 7, 2025, the operation targeted nine terrorist sites in Pakistan, including LeT facilities, in response to the Pahalgam attack. The resulting ceasefire violations along the LoC, particularly in Poonch and Kupwara, have facilitated smuggling via drones and tunnels. In July 2025, the Border Security Force (BSF) intercepted drones carrying Chinese grenades and heroin in Rajouri, while the Indian Army’s Romeo Force seized smuggled caches in Keran. TRF’s logistics, coordinated by figures like Arbaz Ahmad Mir, a Kulgam native based in Pakistan, rely on local couriers and overground workers (OGWs) in Sopore and Kupwara. The group’s online recruitment, targeting Kashmiri youth through platforms like Mastodon and BiP, has bolstered its ranks, with propaganda videos glorifying attacks like the September 2023 Anantnag gunfight, which killed three Indian security personnel. India’s counter-offensives, including the killing of TRF commander Basit Ahmed Dar in May 2024, have disrupted its leadership, but the group’s adaptability persists.

India’s response has been multifaceted but faces challenges. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has intensified probes into TRF’s smuggling networks, linking them to the 2018 assassination of journalist Shujaat Bukhari. Joint operations by the Army and SOG have targeted TRF hideouts in Anantnag and Shopian, with firefights reported in July 2025. The deployment of S-400 systems has downed Pakistani drones, but their deeper incursions, up to 2.5 kilometers into Indian territory, highlight technological gaps. Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit to Srinagar post-Pahalgam attack underscored India’s zero-tolerance policy, with increased bunker construction for civilians. However, local protests against the attack and allegations of human rights abuses, particularly after the demolition of a suspect’s home in Pulwama, have complicated India’s narrative. Pakistan’s denial of TRF’s links, coupled with its condemnation of the Pahalgam attack, reflects a strategy to deflect FATF scrutiny, though X posts suggest public skepticism in India about Islamabad’s claims.

The regional and global implications of TRF’s resurgence are profound. In Jammu and Kashmir, the group’s targeting of minorities and infrastructure projects threatens economic stability, with tourism, a key sector, disrupted by the Pahalgam attack. The killing of nine Hindu pilgrims in Reasi in June 2024 and six migrant laborers in Ganderbal in October 2024 reflect TRF’s strategy to sow communal discord and deter non-local settlement. Economically, border closures and flight suspensions in Srinagar have impacted trade, while smuggling of Afghan heroin fuels militancy, with funds supporting TRF’s operations. Regionally, TRF’s activities escalate India-Pakistan tensions, with Operation Sindoor marking a shift toward preemptive strikes. Pakistan’s retaliatory missile attacks and suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty have heightened the risk of escalation, with both nations expelling diplomats. India’s diplomatic push, including its May 2025 UN presentation linking TRF to LeT, has strengthened its case, though Pakistan’s influence in the UNSC 1267 Sanctions Committee has blocked TRF’s designation as a UN terrorist group.

Globally, TRF’s proxy model underscores the challenges of countering state-sponsored terrorism. The U.S. FTO designation, hailed by India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar as a boost to counterterrorism cooperation, criminalizes support for TRF, potentially disrupting its funding. However, China’s call for regional anti-terror cooperation reflects its concern for CPEC stability, given parallel insurgencies like the BLA’s. The extradition of LeT’s Tahawwur Rana to India in April 2025 signals U.S. support, but Vice President JD Vance’s emphasis on limited American influence suggests a cautious approach. TRF’s online propaganda, amplified by Jhelum Media House, mirrors global trends in digital militancy, drawing parallels to groups like ISIS. The smuggling of Chinese arms highlights the need for international coordination on arms control, particularly with Afghanistan, where heroin trade fuels terrorism. India’s challenge lies in balancing military action with diplomacy, as heavy-handed tactics risk alienating Kashmiris, potentially boosting TRF’s recruitment.

Addressing TRF’s resurgence requires a nuanced approach. Military operations, while critical, must be paired with socio-economic initiatives to counter recruitment, particularly among youth facing unemployment and alienation. Strengthening LoC surveillance with advanced counter-drone technology is essential to curb smuggling, while international pressure on Pakistan, especially through FATF, could disrupt TRF’s funding. India’s diplomatic efforts, leveraging the U.S. designation, should focus on isolating Pakistan’s proxy support, though China’s regional influence complicates this. Community engagement in Kashmir, addressing grievances over land rights and governance, could weaken TRF’s narrative. The fragile India-Pakistan ceasefire, mediated through military channels, offers a chance for de-escalation, but TRF’s adaptability demands sustained vigilance. As Kashmir navigates this new phase of proxy militancy, regional and global stakeholders must prioritize cooperation to address its root causes and broader implications.

In conclusion, TRF’s resurgence in July 2025 signals a dangerous revival of proxy militancy in Kashmir, exploiting India-Pakistan tensions and local grievances. Its arms smuggling, targeted attacks, and digital propaganda, backed by Pakistan’s ISI, challenge India’s security framework and destabilize the region. While India’s military and diplomatic responses have disrupted TRF’s operations, the group’s adaptability and LeT ties highlight the need for comprehensive strategies. The crisis underscores the enduring complexity of the Kashmir conflict, with implications for Indo-Pacific stability and global counterterrorism efforts, demanding a balanced approach to restore peace.

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