On Sunday, at least seven people were killed in a militant attack in Sonmarg, including six laborers and a doctor. The militant group, 'The Resistance Front' (TRF), claimed responsibility for the attack. TRF is an offshoot of the Pakistani militant organization Lashkar-e-Taiba and has been active in several violent incidents in Kashmir.
TRF was formed in 2019, following the removal of Article 370, which revoked Jammu and Kashmir's special status. Emerging from the political unrest in the region, TRF aims to challenge India's sovereignty and disrupt the status quo in Kashmir. Initially, the group operated online, but within six months, it became active on the ground, recruiting members from various militant organizations, including Lashkar. There are claims that Pakistan might be supporting TRF. Pakistan has been accused multiple times of backing militancy in Kashmir, and this could be a form of "war in disguise."
International bodies, like the Financial Action Task Force, had pressured Pakistan to cut financial ties to terrorism. Supporting TRF, which wasn't officially recognized as a militant group until 2023, allowed Pakistan to continue its influence indirectly. TRF's origins are linked to Lashkar, with Sheikh Sajjad Gul, a former Lashkar commander, leading the group. Gul was declared a terrorist by India in 2022. Since 2019, TRF has been involved in numerous violent acts, including a deadly attack on a bus of pilgrims in June 2023, killing nine.
