Pakistan is plotting a major terror attack on Indian security personnel deployed in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). As per the latest report by intelligence agencies, accessed by Zee News, it has been revealed that Pakistan has formed two new terror groups in the valley with the help of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). The newly formed groups, called the ‘The Resistance Front’ (TRF) and 'Tehreek-i-Milat-i-Islami' (TMI), have been covertly formed by the Pakistani intelligence agency ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence).

‘‘After TRF, another new terrorist group, TMI, has surfaced in the Kashmir valley. Its ‘commander’, one Nayeem Firdous, has issued an audio statement asking all militant groups operating in Kashmir to unite. Both groups are active on social media and via WhatsApp groups,’’ said an official deployed at the central security establishment.

Security agencies suspect the TRF (also known as ‘JK Fighters’) to be a wing of the LeT but there is no clarity on the other group, TMI, yet.

In an audio statement, TRF Commander Abu Anas was heard inciting Muslims to join in on the jihad against India. Not just this, Anas was also heard warning the people of consequences, if it was found they were expressing support for India. The terrorist leader also asked the Abdullah family to abandon the Indian side and support the Kashmiris. In addition to all of these, the video also maligns Kashmiri leader Altaf Bukhari as the new 'Bakshi' of Kashmir.

Operation chief commander of Tehrik Milat Islam (TMI) Naeem Firdous, in another video, was also heard asking all militant groups operating in Kashmir to unite. The newly formed groups are actually eyeing to recruit locals so that no one can point fingers at Pakistan after the terrorist attack.

‘‘Pakistan is trying to portray that there has been an indigenous reaction in Kashmir due to the removal of Article 370. So they are promoting these two dummy outfits,’’ said another security official.

Security agencies' input suggests that around 430-450 trained terrorists are ready to infiltrate Kashmir, out of which around 350 are Pakistani nationals. LeT is apparently a predominant group among them; it is basically a proxy war on part of Pakistan using its own nationals inside J&K.

The Resistance Front (TRF)'s name came into the radar of the security agencies for the first time in March this year when J&K police had busted a module and arrested four terrorists from the Sopore district. The cops had recovered a huge amount of arms and ammunition from them.

The arrested terrorists were identified as Ahtisham Farooq Malik, Shafqat Ali Tagoo, Musaib Hassan Bhat, and Nisar Ahmad Ganai. The individuals revealed under interrogation that they were working under one Pakistan-based person known only by the name “Andrew Jones” on Telegram messenger, adding that the man goes by the name of “Khan Bilal” on WhatsApp. It is being assumed that this shady person is the brains behind the operation of the newly-formed terrorist organisation -- “TRF/JK Fighters”.

All four apprehended terrorists had been given the task to recruit local youths for terror activities in the Kashmir Valley, particularly in the North Kashmir region. For the same reason, they were instigating local youths to join terrorist ranks.

The main purpose of the newly-formed groups is to accumulate arms and ammunition and to go for target killings of politicians and police personnel, according to security intel.