China Condemns Pahalgam Massacre, Supports U.S. Designation of TRF as Terror Group

In response to the United States' designation of The Resistance Front (TRF)—a Pakistan-backed proxy group affiliated with Lashkar-e-Tayyiba as an FTO, China today condemned in strong terms the April 22 Pahalgam massacre and urged greater regional cooperation in fighting terrorism.

Chinese foreign ministry official Lin Jian conveyed Beijing's support for the region's anti-terrorism activities.

In reply to the U.S. State Department's declaration of TRF as both an FTO and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT), Lin said: "China opposes all terrorist activities and strongly criticizes the April 22 terrorist attack. China urges regional states to strengthen counter-terrorism cooperation and jointly preserve regional stability and security."

The U.S. State Department officially declared the designation on Thursday, connecting TRF to the Apr. 22 deadly attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, killing 26 civilians—rendering it the worst civilian attack in India since the 2008 Mumbai attacks, also planned by Lashkar-e-Tayyiba.

In the past few years, TRF has taken responsibility for several attacks on Indian security personnel, adding to its position as a threat to regional stability and peace.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in making the designation, stated: "Today, the Department of State is adding The Resistance Front (TRF) as a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT).

TRF, LeT front and proxy, took responsibility for the attack on April 22, 2025, at Pahalgam that murdered 26 civilians. This was the most lethal attack on Indian civilians since the 2008 Mumbai attacks carried out by LeT. TRF took responsibility for various attacks on Indian security forces as well, most recently in 2024.

Rubio also highlighted the Trump administration's hardline approach to terrorism, saying: "These actions taken by the Department of State demonstrate the Trump administration's commitment to protecting our national security interests, countering terrorism, and enforcing President Trump's call for justice for the Pahalgam attack."

This action adds TRF and its aliases to Lashkar-e-Tayyiba's current designation as an FTO and SDGT, under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act and Executive Order 13224. The designation takes effect upon publication in the Federal Register.