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In the most devastating terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370, a group of heavily armed terrorists opened fire on a gathering of tourists in the Baisaran meadow near Pahalgam on April 22, killing at least 26 people. The Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), claimed responsibility for the attack. Intelligence inputs suggest that Saifullah Kasuri, also known by the alias Khalid, a senior LeT commander, was the mastermind behind the massacre. TRF’s operational leadership on the ground was reportedly led by Asif Fauji.
‘A Calculated Strike’
The strike was reportedly carried out by a group of four to five terrorists, including foreign militants from Pakistan. Security agencies believe the operatives infiltrated the Valley only days before the attack and waited for an opportune moment to strike.
Notably, the attack occurred during simultaneous high-profile visits—U.S. Vice President JD Vance was in India, while Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was visiting Saudi Arabia.
Agencies suspect the attack was meticulously timed to coincide with these visits. “Terrorists were lying low and waiting for the right moment to cause maximum casualties,” intelligence officials said.
Who Is Saifullah Kasuri? The Man Behind the Attack
Saifullah Kasuri, alias Khalid, is a senior commander of the Lashkar-e-Taiba and a close aide of its founder, Hafeez Saeed. He is believed to have orchestrated the Pahalgam massacre from across the border in Pakistan.
Kasuri heads the Peshawar headquarters of the LeT and holds key positions within its parent organisation, Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD). He has also been associated with the Milli Muslim League (MML), JuD’s political wing.
According to a Times of India report citing the U.S. Treasury Department, Kasuri was introduced as the president of MML during a press conference on August 8, 2017, where he outlined the party’s objectives and formation plans.
Kasuri’s affiliations place him high in the hierarchy of Pakistan’s jihadist network. The U.S. Department of State designated JuD as an alias of LeT in April 2016 under Executive Order 13224. In December 2008, JuD was also included in the United Nations 1267/1988 Sanctions List, identifying it as another alias of LeT.
What Is The Resistance Front (TRF)?
The Resistance Front (TRF), which claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam attack, emerged in 2019 following the abrogation of Article 370. The group was formed as a front for Lashkar-e-Taiba, according to Indian security agencies.
Officials say the name “Resistance Front” was chosen to obscure religious affiliations and project the movement as an indigenous uprising. “The word ‘Resistance’ was deliberately chosen so the name would resonate globally,” an official told The Indian Express.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has designated TRF as a terrorist organisation under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). According to the MHA notification, TRF was recruiting youth via online platforms and was involved in aiding infiltration and smuggling of arms and narcotics from Pakistan into Jammu and Kashmir.
Major Attacks By TRF
Initially, Sheikh Sajjad Gul was the supreme commander of the group, while Basit Ahmed Dar served as its operational chief. The TRF is believed to include fighters from multiple outfits, including Hizbul Mujahideen and LeT.
The group has been responsible for several deadly attacks on civilians and security personnel in the region. One of its more recent strikes occurred in October 2024 in Ganderbal, where terrorists attacked a tunnel-construction site on the Srinagar-Leh national highway, killing six non-local labourers and a doctor.
In 2022, J&K Police said the majority of militants neutralised in the Valley were associated with TRF, highlighting the group’s growing role as a LeT proxy.
Who Was on the Ground? The Role of Saifullah Kasuri, Asif Fauji and Others
The TRF was quick to claim responsibility for the Pahalgam massacre, releasing a statement hours after the attack. Jammu and Kashmir Police later released sketches of three attackers: Asif Fauji, Suleman Shah, and Abu Talha.
According to intelligence sources and reports from India Today TV, Asif Fauji led the assault team. While some reports suggest he was a local militant, others allege he had connections with the Pakistan Army, which would explain the moniker “Fauji.”
Eyewitnesses also reported hearing two of the attackers speaking in Pashto—indicative of their Pakistani origin. The remaining two were said to be locals from Bijbhera and Tral, both towns in South Kashmir.
Digital evidence has traced the attackers’ online activity to safe houses in Muzaffarabad and Karachi, further strengthening the case for cross-border involvement.
Also Read: Pahalgam Terror Attack: Former Envoy Kanwal Sibal Urges India to Suspend Indus Waters Treaty After
