China ‘strongly’ condemns Pahalgam attack, calls on regional countries to enhance counter-terrorism ops

BEIJING: After the United States designated The Resistance Front (TRF) as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO), China has condemned the April 22 Pahalgam attack, calling for greater regional cooperation to counter terrorism and ensure stability.

China’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian lauded the effort of the US in helping combat terrorist activities. When asked about the US State Department’s effort by designating The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba, as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation and Specially Designated Global Terrorist Organisation, Lin said that China condemns all forms of terrorism.

“China firmly opposes all forms of terrorism and strongly condemns the terrorist attack that occurred on April 22. China calls on regional countries to enhance counterterrorism cooperation and jointly maintain regional security and stability”, he said.

China condemns the Pahalgam terrorist attack, calls on regional countries to enhance counter terrorism cooperation to safeguard regional security.

In a reaction to the US designating The Resistance Front, a proxy of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT), as a foreign terrorist… pic.twitter.com/gyehuwe0J7

— All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) July 19, 2025

The US Department of State on Thursday (local time) designated The Resistance Front (TRF). In a statement issued by the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, the statement acknowledged the fact that the organisation claimed responsibility for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed the lives of 26 civilians. The US, therefore, accorded the TRF as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT).

“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, a Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT) front and proxy, claimed responsibility for the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam attack which killed 26 civilians. This was the deadliest attack on civilians in India since the 2008 Mumbai attacks conducted by LeT. TRF has also claimed responsibility for several attacks against Indian security forces, including most recently in 2024,” the statement read.

The statement said that this action demonstrated the US President Donald Trump administration’s commitment to countering terrorism. “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,” the statement said.

“TRF and other associated aliases have been added to LeT’s designation as a FTO and SDGT pursuant to section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act and Executive Order 13224, respectively. The Department of State has also reviewed and maintained the FTO designation of LeT. Amendments to FTO designations go into effect upon publication in the Federal Register”, the statement added. (ANI)