The Resistance Front

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The Resistance Front (TRF)
FoundersMuhammad Abbas Sheikh †[1]
Sheikh Sajjad Gul[2]
Patron and Supreme CommanderSheikh Sajjad Gul[2]
Current Chief Operational CommanderBasit Ahmed Dar[3]
SpokespersonAhmed Khalid[4]
Dates of operation2019–present
Split fromHizbul Mujahideen
MotivesResistance to Indian administration of Jammu and Kashmir[5][6][7][8]
Active regionsJammu and Kashmir
SloganResistance till Victory (Tagline)
Notable attacks2020 Keran encounter,[9] 2020 Handwara encounter[10] , 2021 Attack on BJP councilors meet in Sopore,[11] 2022 sedow Shopian IED attack,[12]2023 Anantnag encounter[13][14]
AlliesPeople's Anti-Fascist Front
Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front
Al-Badr (United Liberation Front)[15][5]
Opponents India
Battles and warsInsurgency in Jammu and Kashmir
Designated as a terrorist group by India
ColoursRed and Green
Websitekashmirfight.org

The Resistance Front or TRF is a separatist militant organization involved in the ongoing insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir. The organization has positioned itself as a secular organization fighting against the Indian government for Kashmiri freedom, in contrast to past Kashmiri insurgents which have been Islamist.[16][17] The Indian government has accused the TRF of being an offshoot of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, a claim that TRF has denied.[17] TRF operates primarily in the Kashmir region, with a main base in Srinagar.[18]

The Resistance Front was founded by Sheikh Sajjad Gul, a native of Srinagar, and Muhammad Abbas Sheikh, a native of Kulgam, after India revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir in 2019.[19][20] The TRF has mainly targeted Indian security forces and pro-Indian politicians in Kashmir, and has been accused of other attacks against Hindutva activitsts and Hindu civilians by the Indian government.[21][22]

Origins[edit]

The Resistance Front was founded in October 2019 following the abrogation of Article 370 and the revocation of special status to Jammu and Kashmir by the Indian government in August 2019.[14][23] The TRF portrays itself as an indigenous Kashmiri resistance movement fighting for the freedom of Jammu and Kashmir from India, while the Indian government has accused the TRF of being a frontal organization for Lashkar-e-Taiba.[13] The TRF has been noted for its more secular stance towards Kashmiri independence, with logos, statements, and attack rationale all being distinct from past Islamist Kashmiri insurgents such as Hizbul Mujahideen.[16]

.On April 1, 2020, the TRF gained prominence after a four-day gun battle near the Line of Control (LoC) in Kupwara's Keran Sector, during which five Indian paracommandos and five TRF militants were killed.[24]

Activities[edit]

TRF attacks have targeted Kashmiri Pandits, Hindus, Sikhs, and Muslims, with the killings being politically motivated instead of religiously motivated.[16] In these attacks on civilians, LeT and HM did not claim responsibility, only the TRF did.[16] TRF has been accused by the Indian government of links 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.[14]

In 2022, it was responsible for a substantial number of fatalities[among whom?] in the region. TRF has also been active in recruitment, making it a prominent militant group in Jammu and Kashmir.[13][14] 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.[13][14]

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, commander Riyaz Ahmed, in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.[13][14]

Major Attacks[edit]

Year Date Location Description
2019 August Indian-administered Jammu & Kashmir TRF announced its official formation after the abrogation of Article 370.
2020 5 April Keran, Kupwara Indian forces attempted to subdue two TRF militants in the mountains of Keran, Kupwara, while the area was covered in snow. The TRF militants managed to kill five Indian PARA SF before being taken down.[25]
18 April Noorbagh, Sopore TRF militants ambushed Indian forces, killing at least three and injuring at least 2 more.[26]
3 May Handwara Indian forces stormed a hideout, taking losses of five personnel, including one Colonel, one Major, and an Inspector of SOG, while then taking down the two TRF militants present.[27]
5 May Handwara TRF militants ambushed an Indian CRPF party near Wangam Crossing, Handwara, killing four CRPF personnel and injuring a further five more. They managed to snatch two rifles from the fallen CRPF troopers. A young mentally handicapped Kashmiri boy was killed as the CRPF returned fire.[28]
21 May Prichoo, Pulwama TRF militants attacked a CRPF/JKP party, killing 2 personnel and injuring a third.[29]
8 June Anantnag (Islamabad) TRF militants assassinated a BJP Pandit village leader.[30]
1 July Sopore TRF militants ambushed Indian forces, killing at least two and injuring at least 3 more. Indian forces killed a sixty-four-year-old civilian while returning fire.[31]
8 July Bandipora TRF militants assassinated a BJP leader along with his father and brother.[32]
25 September Hawal, Srinagar TRF militants assassinated Babar Qadri, a lawyer in Kashmir who was claimed to be a stooge of the Indian administration.[33]
6 October Nuner, Ganderbal TRF militants attacked the residence of BJP vice-president of Ganderbal. In this attack one PSO of BJP leader and 1 TRF militant Killed.[34]
30 October Kulgam TRF militants ambushed three BJP leaders, firing on their car and killing them all.[35]
8 November Machil, Kupwara TRF militants encountered Indian forces during a search operation during which, three Indian Army personnel and 1 BSF personal killed, finally the three TRF militants were overrun and killed.[36]
23 December Duderhama, Ganderbal TRF militants ambushed Indian forces, lobbing grenades at a CRPF party followed by firing on them. Two CRPF troopers were killed while another was injured.[37]
31 December Dalgate, Srinagar TRF militants assassinated a non-local Jeweler Satpal Nishchal who was given domicile in Kashmir along with purchasing land there.[38]
2021 22 January Kishtwar, Chenab Valley TRF militants ambushed an SOG party with grenades, injuring two personnel severely.[39]
19 February Barzulla, Srinagar TRF militants ambushed JKP personnel, killing two[40]
29 March Sopore TRF militants ambushed a BJP councilor's meeting, killing one JKP SPO and two BJP councilors.[41]
1 April Nowgam, Srinagar TRF militants attacked a BJP leader's home, killing the JKP guard and taking his rifle.[42]
22 June Nowgam, Srinagar TRF militants assassinated a CID Inspector.[43]
27 June Tral, Pulwama Alleged TRF militants assassinated a JKP SPO, also killing his wife and daughter.[44]
7 August Poshwan, Kulgam TRF militants ambushed a JKP SHO's vehicle, killing one personnel and injuring another.[45]
5 October Srinagar TRF militants assassinated a Kashmiri Pandit Makhan Lal Bindroo accusing of being affiliated with RSS.[46]
7 October Eidgah, Srinagar TRF militants assassinated two teachers 1 Hindu and 1 Sikh who forced children to participate in 15 August India Day functions.[47]
9 October Mazgam, Kulgam TRF militants ambushed a police party in which two personnel were injured, later succumbing to injuries.[48]

International implications[edit]

Pakistan's inclusion on the FATF's "grey list" in 2018 and its subsequent removal raised questions about TRF's emergence. Some[according to whom?] 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.[13]

Ban and designation[edit]

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.[49] The ban was imposed due to the Indian government's suspicions of TRF's involvement in a conspiracy to assassinate Kashmiri journalist Shujaat Bukhari in June 2018.[14]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "TRF Abbas Sheikh | Srinagar".
  2. ^ a b "TRF Sajjad Gul | Srinagar".
  3. ^ "Who is Basit Ahmed Dar, and why is he designated as a 'terrorist'?". IbTimes India. 14 July 2023.
  4. ^ "TRF Spokesperson Ahmed Khalid". Hindustan Times. 24 May 2022.
  5. ^ a b Gupta, Shishir (2020-05-08). "Pak launches terror's new face in Kashmir, Imran Khan follows up on Twitter". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 2020-05-11.
  6. ^ "'Pakistan trying to securalise Kashmir militancy': Lashkar regroups in Valley as The Resistance Front". The Indian Express. 2020-05-05. Retrieved 2020-05-11.
  7. ^ Gupta, Shishir (2020-05-08). "New J&K terror outfit run by LeT brass: Intel". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 2020-05-11.
  8. ^ Pubby, Manu; Chaudhury, Dipanjan Roy (2020-04-29). "The Resistance Front: New name of terror groups in Kashmir". The Economic Times. Retrieved 2020-05-11.
  9. ^ India Today, April 6, 2020
  10. ^ Kashmir: 5 security forces and 2 rebels killed in a gun battle, Al Jazeera, May 3, 2020
  11. ^ Jammu and Kashmir: Municipal Councillor and Policeman Killed in Sopore, The Wire, Insert_the_date_you_accessed_the_source
  12. ^ Four Militants, OGWs Held for June 2 IED Blast in Shopian, Kashmir Pulse, June 7, 2022
  13. ^ a b c d e f "What is The Resistance Front, responsible for killing of 3 security officers in J&K's Anantnag?". Firstpost. 14 September 2023. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  14. ^ a b c d e f g Lavania, Sudeep (14 September 2023). "Why Pakistan-backed The Resistance Front has become biggest headache of security forces in Kashmir". India Today. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  15. ^ TRF And ULF active in Jammu and Kashmir Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen leaders form the core of the TRF in Insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir and ULF is Group of Al Badr but also working with TRF against India
  16. ^ a b c d "Secularization of Militancy in Kashmir: Myth or Reality? | Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses". www.idsa.in. Retrieved 2024-01-24.
  17. ^ a b "TRF".
  18. ^ "Why Militants Are Turning to Srinagar – Again". The Wire. Retrieved 2023-09-16.
  19. ^ Staff, T. K. W. (2021-08-23). "Why was Abbas Sheikh the most wanted militant of Kashmir?". The Kashmir Walla. Retrieved 2023-09-16.
  20. ^ Joy,DHNS, Shemin (2023-01-06). "Centre bans LeT's proxy outfit 'The Resistance Front'". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 2023-09-16.
  21. ^ Jaiswal, Priya (2021-02-19). "Terrorists open fire on police party in Srinagar, 2 jawans killed; attack caught on cam". India TV News. Retrieved 2023-09-16.
  22. ^ Jameel, Yusuf (2020-07-09). "TRF claims responsibility for BJP activist's killing in Bandipora; police blames Lashkar". The Asian Age. Retrieved 2023-09-16.
  23. ^ "The Resistance Front (TRF): Major Challenge for Kashmir Security Post Article 370, Behind Anantnag Gunfight". Times Now. 14 September 2023. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  24. ^ Ashiq, Peerzada (9 October 2021). "The Resistance Front | Faceless killers in the Valley". The Hindu. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  25. ^ "Kupwara encounter: 5 soldiers killed as Army fights infiltrators in north Kashmir". India Today. Retrieved 2023-09-13.
  26. ^ "J&K: Three CRPF jawans killed, 2 injured in militant attack in Sopore, LeT module claims responsibility". India Today. Retrieved 2023-09-13.
  27. ^ "Kashmir: 5 security forces and 2 rebels killed in a gun battle". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2023-09-13.
  28. ^ "Caught in crossfire, handicapped Handwara boy laid to rest at Baramulla – The Real Kashmir News". 2020-05-05. Retrieved 2023-09-13.
  29. ^ "J&K policeman killed, another 2 injured in militant attack in Pulwama". India Today. Retrieved 2023-09-14.
  30. ^ "'What Was His Fault?': Family And Neighbors Mourn Kashmiri Pandit Sarpanch Killed By Suspected Militants". HuffPost. 2020-06-10. Retrieved 2023-09-13.
  31. ^ "Photo of toddler sitting on his grandfather's body angers Kashmir". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2023-09-13.
  32. ^ Mushtaq, Tasavur (2020-07-09). "Bandipora Attack: The Complete Story". Kashmir Life. Retrieved 2023-09-13.
  33. ^ "Prominent Kashmiri lawyer-activist shot dead in Srinagar". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2023-09-13.
  34. ^ gk-news-network (2020-11-02). "Attack on BJP leader in Ganderbal | 3 militant associates arrested: Police". Greater Kashmir. Retrieved 2023-09-13.
  35. ^ "3 BJP workers shot dead in Jammu & Kashmir; Resistance Front claims responsibility". The Economic Times. 2020-10-30. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 2023-09-13.
  36. ^ "2 Army, 1 BSF soldiers killed in ongoing operation at LoC in J&K's Kupwara". India Today. Retrieved 2023-09-13.
  37. ^ "Three CRPF jawans injured in grenade attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Ganderbal". India Today. Retrieved 2023-09-13.
  38. ^ "Violence in Kashmir: Why a Spike in Killings Signals an Ominous New Trend". www.crisisgroup.org. 2022-06-28. Retrieved 2023-09-13.
  39. ^ "Militants attack police party in J&K's Kishtwar". www.daijiworld.com. Retrieved 2023-09-14.
  40. ^ PTI (2021-02-19). "2 J&K policemen killed in militant attack in Srinagar's Baghat". ThePrint. Retrieved 2023-09-14.
  41. ^ "Sopore Militant Attack: Injured Municipal Councillor Succumbs To Injuries". The Wire. Retrieved 2023-09-14.
  42. ^ PTI (2021-04-01). "Policeman killed in militant attack on residence of BJP leader Anwar Ahmad in Srinagar". ThePrint. Retrieved 2023-09-14.
  43. ^ "CID Inspector Shot Dead In Nowgam". Kashmir Observer. 2021-06-22. Retrieved 2023-09-14.
  44. ^ Majid, DHNS, Zulfikar. "Policeman, his wife, daughter shot dead by militants in J&K's Pulwama". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 2023-09-14.
  45. ^ Desk, GK Web (2021-08-07). "Cop killed, two others injured in militant attack in Kulgam". Greater Kashmir. Retrieved 2023-09-14.
  46. ^ "Kashmiri Pandit businessman shot by unidentified gunmen in Srinagar". India Today. Retrieved 2023-09-14.
  47. ^ "Two Kashmir schoolteachers shot dead as civilian killings spike". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2023-09-14.
  48. ^ NETWORK, GK NEWS (2021-10-09). "2 policemen injured in Kulgam militant attack". Greater Kashmir. Retrieved 2023-09-14.
  49. ^ Singh, Vijaita (5 January 2023). "Centre declares The Resistance Front a terrorist organisation". The Hindu. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
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