Ganderbal Attack 2024: The Emergence of Pakistan-Sponsored TRF

Pakistan has been sponsoring terrorism in Bharat for over the past 30 years to undermine the stability of the Union Territory (UT) of Jammu and Kashmir (hereafter J&K) and other parts of the country. Post-nullification of Article 370 in 2019, J&K did not witness any significant terrorist attack. Since December 2023, the Jammu region has seen the emergence of terror-related incidents, particularly in districts such as Rajouri, Poonch, and Doda. The shift of terrorist attacks from the Valley to Jammu was attributed to the strengthened security mechanism and synchronisation among security forces, administration, and intelligence fraternity. The elimination of terror group leaders in various counter-terrorism operations, including Burhan Wani, Riyaz Naikoo, Zakir Rashid Bhat, and Zakir Musa, pressurised their groups to focus on Jammu, which was less affected by terrorism. The emergence of terror incidents in Jammu underscores the need for enhanced security measures and continued monitoring to maintain stability in the Jammu region.

In 2023, an IED blast in Rajouri (05 May) and an ambush on an army vehicle in Poonch (20 April and 21 December) were significant terror incidents in the Jammu region. In 2024, an attack on a pilgrimage bus in Reasi on 09 June was carried out by “The Resistance Front (TRF)”— an off-shoot terror group of proscribed Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). In another attack, on 25 October, terrorists from the “People's Anti-Fascist Front (PAFF)”—an off-shoot terror group of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM)—targeted an army convoy near the Nagin post area (near Line of Control) of Butapathri in Gulmarg and killed four people, including two army personnel. ^[1] The attack on the pilgrimage bus underlines the shift of terror attacks from Valley to Jammu due to the stringent security grid and successful counter-terrorism operations in the Valley. However, considering the newly elected government in J&K, these attacks can be seen as a broader plan of terrorists, who are infiltrating from Pakistan in large numbers, to disrupt the projects and destabilise the peace in the region.

The Ganderbal Terror Attack

On the night of 20 October, two terrorists infiltrated a construction company’s camp and killed six migrant labourers and a doctor. The migrant labourers were working on building the Z-Morh tunnel near Gagangir on the Srinagar-Sonamarg Road in Ganderbal district. ^[2] Before escaping into a nearby forest area, terrorists ran amok across the workers’ camp, and officers mess and started firing indiscriminately. They also torched standby vehicles.

It is the first major terror attack since Omar Abdullah was sworn in as Chief Minister of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) on 16 October 2024. Seven people, including a doctor, were killed, and six others were injured. The Resistance Front (TRF) terror group claimed responsibility for the attack. In a statement, the terror group said that the attack was “on an infrastructure project of geostrategic, military importance.” The highway is a significant infrastructure, connecting Kashmir to Ladakh, Siachen base camp, and LAC (Line of Actual Control).

According to unconfirmed reports, terrorists were carrying M4 and other assault rifles, like the weapons used during terror attacks in Kathua, Reasi, and Doda. ^[3] The probability is high that M4 assault rifles used by terrorists are the “leftover” weapons of US/NATO forces in Afghanistan, further handed over to terrorist groups by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) directorate to carry out operations against Bharat.

The Perpetrators— “The Resistance Front” (TRF)

Post-nullification of Article 370 in August 2019, the terror group— The Resistance Front (hereafter TRF) was formed in October 2019, having terrorists from Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Hizb ul-Mujahideen (HM). The terror group is responsible for attacks on security forces and civilians, mainly minorities and migrant labourers, in J&K. Unlike other terror groups, the title of TRF does not refer to Jihad or Islam; with such a nomenclature it attempts to present TRF’s attacks as politically motivated rather than a religiously motivated war against infidels— jihad. ^[4] In its report for 2022, the J&K police stated that out of 172 terrorists killed in CT operations in the Valley, 108 belonged to TRF, and among 100 recruits of various terror groups, 74 were recruited by TRF. ^[5]

In January 2024, the terror group— TRF released its “TRF Annual Report 2023”, in which the group claimed 68 terrorist attacks across J&K, Delhi and UT of Ladakh. According to the report, 64 attacks were in J&K (26 in South Kashmir, 07 in North Kashmir, 24 in Central Kashmir, and 07 in Jammu), 03 attacks in Ladakh and 01 in Delhi. ^[6]

In 2018, Pakistan was added to the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) “Grey List”; thus, TRF’s formation in 2019 was a calculated manoeuvre that distracted the attention of FATF and other international organisations from Pakistan-sponsored terrorist groups and gave Pakistan the capacity to continue to deny its role in terrorist attacks against Bharat. ^[7]

Conclusion

Three years after TRF’s inception, on 05 January 2023, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) declared it as a terrorist group under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, [UA(P)A], 1967. “The Resistance Front came into existence in the year 2019 as a proxy outfit of Lashkar-e-Taiba, a proscribed terrorist organisation listed at serial number 5 of the first schedule under the UAPA,” read the notification issued by the MHA. ^[8]

The day following the attack, the Army, CRPF, and police personnel, conducted a joint combing operation in Sonamarg. To date, more than 40 people have been questioned by law enforcement agencies, including the National Investigation Agency (NIA), in relation to the incident. On 23 October, CCTV images of both attackers entering into the worker’s camp emerged. ^[9]

With continuous support from Pakistan, TRF and other off-shoot terror groups would be able to continue their terror activities in the Valley. Therefore, it is essential that Bharat must continue raising the issue of Pakistan-sponsored proxy terror at various international platforms, including BRICS, G20, and the UNGA. The newly elected cabinet in J&K should work in synch with the central autorities to strengthen counter-terrorism policies and measures to monitor and contain terror activities. The efficient use of cyber-enabled technologies, such as AI, will help authorities monitor the use of digital space by TRF and other terror groups to propagate its ideology and expand its outreach. Also, there is a need to establish and improve the capabilities of fast-track courts to deal with terrorism-related cases, ensuring swift justice for the victims.

Endnotes

^[1] Singh, Ronit. “Terrorist fired at army vehicle from two sides in Gulmarg attack that killed 4: Sources”, News18 Network, available from: https://www.news18.com/india/jammu-and-kashmir-ambush-weapons-poonch-rajouri-gulmarg-soldiers-dead-terrorist-jaish-paff-l-g-manoj-sinha-9098264.html [3]
^[2] “Doctors, 6 migrant workers killed in Jammu-Kashmir terror attack: Who is behind it?”, FirstPost, 21 October 2024, available from: https://www.firstpost.com/explainers/doctor-6-migrant-workers-jammu-kashmir-terror-attack-the-resistance-front-13827439.html [4]
^[3] Ranjan, Mukesh. “US-made M4 Carbine assault rifles in terrorists’ hands in Jammu pose serious threat says security officials”, The New Indian Express, 19 August 2024, available from: https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2024/Aug/19/us-made-m4-carbine-assault-rifles-in-terrorists-hands-in-jammu-pose-serious-threat-says-security-officials [5]
^[4] Basak, Saptarishi. “The Resistance Front: The Invisible, LeT-backed outfit terrorising Kashmir”, The Quint, 11 October 2021, available from: https://www.thequint.com/news/india/the-resistance-front-the-invisible-let-backed-outfit-terrorising-kashmir [6]
^[5] Sagar, Pradip R. “why The Resistance Front was under terror watch in Kashmir”, India Today, 01 August 2023, available from: https://www.indiatoday.in/india-today-insight/story/why-the-resistance-front-was-under-terror-watch-in-kashmir-2318904-2023-01-08 [7]
^[6] “TRF Annual Report 2023”. (official website of the TRF)
^[7] “What is The Resistance Front, responsible for killing of 3 security officers in J&K?”, FirstPost, 14 September 2023, available from: https://www.firstpost.com/explainers/anantnag-encounter-what-is-the-resistance-front-responsible-for-killing-of-3-security-officers-in-jk-13124322.html [8]
^[8] “List of organisations designated as terrorist organization under Section 35 of the UAPA, 1967, listed in the 1st Schedule of the Act”, Government of India-Ministry of Home Affairs, March 2023, available from: https://www.mha.gov.in/sites/default/files/2023-03/TERRORIST_ORGANIZATIONS_10032023.pdf [9]
^[9] Wani, Ashraf. “Ganderbal attack: Terrorists armed with assault rifles, first visuals emerge”,

(The paper is the author’s individual scholastic articulation. The author certifies that the article/paper is original in content, unpublished and it has not been submitted for publication/web upload elsewhere, and that the facts and figures quoted are duly referenced, as needed, and are believed to be correct). (The paper does not necessarily represent the organisational stance... More >>