Escalation in Kashmir: U.S. Designates TRF as Foreign Terrorist Organization

The U.S. government has labeled The Resistance Front (TRF), an affiliate of the Pakistani extremist group Lashkar-e-Taiba, as a 'foreign terrorist organization.' This decision comes in response to the April 22 attack in India-administered Kashmir that resulted in 26 casualties, as announced by Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday.

Lashkar-e-Taiba, already recognized as a 'foreign terrorist organization' by the United States, orchestrated notable attacks, including the infamous 2008 Mumbai assault. TRF's new designation underlines Washington's alignment with New Delhi, particularly after the attack in Pahalgam, initially claimed and then recanted by TRF.

Michael Kugelman, a South Asia analyst, remarked that Washington's designation signals solidarity with India's viewpoint linking TRF to Lashkar-e-Taiba. The situation has intensified tensions between India and Pakistan, with both nations possessing nuclear capabilities and claiming full sovereignty over the disputed region of Kashmir.

(With inputs from agencies.)