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India.com
8 minutes ago
- India.com
Tip-Off From Nomads, Drone Confirms: How Pahalgam Terror Plotters Were Hunted In Forest
Sri Nagar/New Delhi: It took over three months, several intelligence inputs and hours of combing operations to bring the Pahalgam terror accused to justice. The men behind the April 22 massacre were no ordinary foot soldiers. They belonged to The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy outfit of the Lashkar-e-Taiba. All three were highly trained to evade tracking. Security forces began the chase from the very day of the attack. The terrain was difficult. The trails were cold. The men had gone underground. Then came the first break. In a span of over two weeks, two separate signals were picked up. Both came from Chinese-origin communication devices. The coordinates pointed toward the outskirts of Srinagar. Forces began to close in. The final lead came over the weekend. By July 28, the net had closed. A joint team from the Indian Army, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Jammu and Kashmir Police moved into the forest belt near Dachigam. The encounter ended there. All three suspects were neutralised. The information that cracked the case came from an unexpected source. Nomadic shepherds, who move with the seasons and know the forest trails better than anyone, noticed something unusual such as a camp, a trail and unfamiliar movement. They passed it on. The input proved decisive. Security teams intercepted a second signal on July 26. It was traced to Lidwas near the Mahadev peak. The location was close to Mulnar, inside the Dachigam forest area. Teams fanned out and ground surveillance was intensified. Close to urban Srinagar, the area was considered sensitive. Intelligence suggested the men were carrying heavy arms and using advanced Chinese communication gear. Officials now confirm that a first signal had also been picked up earlier, on July 11. It had pinged from the same Baisaran valley in Pahalgam where the April 22 attack had occurred. The attack left 25 tourists and one local dead. Security agencies had been tracking their trail since then. The terrorists kept changing location. The pressure was relentless. Then came the moment. A thermal drone spotted something unusual in the forest canopy. The drone hovered silently above the dense forest canopy, scanning the ground below with its thermal camera. Then came the unmistakable heat signature too defined to be anything else. Human figures, lying low. The outline of a tent appeared faint but clear on the infrared feed. No movement. Just stillness. The thermal imaging left no room for doubt. This was not a false alarm. Command received the confirmation. That was all they needed. Within moments, the final go-ahead was given. The operation was set in motion. The site where the encounter took place lies deep in forest, about 30 km from the nearest inhabited village, Chak Dara. The region sits on the edge of Anantnag district. From the Baisaran valley in Pahalgam, the route through the forest spans around 50 km. The dense stretch passes through Aru Wildlife Sanctuary. Security sources say the three terrorists had moved on foot. They used forest tracks, stayed away from paved roads, carried everything on their backs and relied on camouflage and silence. Locals played an important role. Just as they once did in exposing Pakistani movement during Kargil, the nomadic shepherds observed everything. They saw the tent. They noticed movement. They shared what they knew. That set the final trap. Around 11:30 AM on July 28, the three men were resting in a temporary camp. They appeared calm and unaware. The encounter began without warning. It ended within hours. All three were Pakistani nationals. One of them, Suleiman, had been trained at Lashkar's camp in Muridke. The others, Hamza Afghani and Jibran, were part of the same unit. The operation was code named 'Operation Mahadev'. It ended what began on a tragic spring afternoon in April. The hunt, which spanned jungles, valleys and villages, came full circle under a forest canopy where justice finally caught up.
India Today
4 hours ago
- Politics
- India Today
100 days since Pahalgam: 12 dreaded terrorists killed as hunt intensifies
Following the deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam's Baisaran Valley on April 22, 2025, which left 26 civilians dead, Indian security forces have ramped up their counter-terror offensive across Jammu and Kashmir. In the roughly 100 days since the attack, a total of 12 hardcore terrorists have been eliminated in a series of focused, intelligence-driven missions, sources told India perpetrators of the Pahalgam massacre were linked to The Resistance Front (TRF), a Pakistan-backed terrorist group. Security agencies launched coordinated efforts across multiple agencies to neutralise the threat posed by such outfits operating within the Union those killed, six were identified as Pakistani terrorists, while the remaining six were locally recruited terrorists who were involved in recent terror strikes. Sources privy to the operations said, "It is very difficult to put an exact number to these missions, as units across Jammu and Kashmir continue to conduct operations regularly in their respective zones".One of the most impactful missions came on July 28 in the form of Operation Mahadev, where three terrorists—directly linked to the Pahalgam attack—were gunned down near Srinagar's Dachigam area. One of them was identified as the mastermind behind the Baisaran killings. Just a day later, Operation ShivShakti was launched in the Poonch sector, resulting in the elimination of two more to security sources, the crackdown began within a week of the Pahalgam incident. Four major operations were carried out in south Kashmir, particularly in Shopian and Pulwama. These early actions signalled a shift to a more aggressive approach in tackling cross-border witnessed two crucial operations - in Shopian's Keller Forest, three Lashkar-e-Taiba operatives were killed, followed by another mission on May 15 in Tral's Nader area, which also claimed the lives of three more efforts to wipe out terror elements were not limited to Indian territory. In a powerful response beyond the Line of Control (LoC), the Indian Armed Forces carried out Operation Sindoor on May 6 and the operation, nine terror launch pads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir were completely destroyed. More than 100 terrorists were killed in the precision air and ground strikes. Most of these launch pads were being used as staging grounds for infiltration and attacks in the Pahalgam attack, intelligence reports had flagged 42 active terrorist launch pads across Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, with an estimated 110–130 terrorists stationed there. Around 70–75 terrorists were believed to be active in the Kashmir valley, while 60–65 were operating in regions of Jammu, Rajouri, and the 100-day period post the Baisaran attack, six Pakistani terrorists from this pool have been confirmed killed in action, reducing their active threat considerably."Operations like Mahadev and Shiv Shakti have not only eliminated high-value targets but also sent a clear message about India's zero-tolerance approach to cross-border terrorism," an official told India Today on the condition of forces continue to maintain high alert in vulnerable districts, particularly in southern Kashmir and border zones near Rajouri and Poonch. Joint teams of the Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police, and intelligence units remain engaged in sweeping combing persistent efforts on both sides of the LoC, Indian forces are determined to dismantle terror infrastructure and prevent future attacks, sources combination of swift ground action in Kashmir and strategic strikes like Operation Sindoor across the border marks a significant escalation in India's counter-terror strategy post the Pahalgam carnage.- EndsTune InMust Watch IN THIS STORY#Jammu and Kashmir
Times of Oman
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Times of Oman
Key UNSC report says TRF claimed role in Pahalgam terror attack, published photo of J-K tourist site
New Delhi: In a diplomatic victory for India, the report of the Monitoring Team (MT) of the UNSC 1267 [ISIS (Da'esh) and Al-Qaida] Sanctions Committee has mentioned in its report, The Resistance Front (TRF), which carried out the Pahalgam terror attack. The report explicitly recorded the involvement of the TRF, a proxy outfit of Lashkar-e-Tayyiba in the Pahalgam terror attack of 22 April 2025, where 26 civilians were killed. This is also the first time that a LeT/Pakistan-based terror group has been mentioned in the report since 2019. "The paragraph on TRF and the Pahalgam terror attack is the first part under the South Asia Section and the largest. It is in sync with what India has been stating on the links between the TRF and the LeT and its support from Pakistan," government sources said. The UNSC Report states, "On 22 April, five terrorists attacked a tourist spot in Pahalgam, in Jammu and Kashmir. Twenty-six civilians were killed. The attack was claimed that same day by The Resistance Front (TRF), who in parallel published a photograph of the attack site. The claim of responsibility was repeated the following day. On 26 April, however, TRF retracted their claim. There was no further communication from TRF, and no other group claimed responsibility." The report highlighted that relations between the LeT and TRF could not be ruled out, and the region remained at risk of being exploited by the terrorists. "Regional relations remain fragile. There is a risk that terrorist groups may exploit these regional tensions. One Member State said the attack could not have happened without Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT, QDe.118) support, and that there was a relationship between LeT and TRF," the UN report stated. "Another Member State said that the attack was carried out by TRF, who was synonymous with LeT. One Member State rejected these views and said LeT was defunct," the UNSC monitoring team report stated. This development is particularly notable as all decisions of the 1267 Sanctions Committee, including monoitoring team reports, are adopted by consensus by the members of the Security Council. The inter-ministerial delegation had held separate briefings for like-minded countries in the Security Council and other major UN member states.
Mint
20 hours ago
- Politics
- Mint
UNSC report links The Resistance Front to Pahalgam attack. What it means? Why is it a diplomatic win for India?
The Resistance Front, a proxy of Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), has found a mention in a UN Security Council (UNSC) report monitoring sanctions on terror outfits for its role in the Pahalgam attack. The move is expected to bolster India's diplomatic offensive against Pakistan-backed cross-border terrorism. The report by the UNSC's Monitoring Team (MT) quoted one unnamed member state as saying that the April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir could not have happened without LeT's support and that there was a relationship between "LeT and The Resistance Front (TRF). The report for the UNSC's 1267 committee that deals with sanctions on al-Qaeda and the Islamic State linked the TRF to the Pahalgam attack and cautioned that the terrorist groups could exploit tensions between India and Pakistan. "On 22 April, five terrorists attacked a tourist spot in Pahalgam, in Jammu and Kashmir. Twenty-six civilians were killed. The attack was claimed that same day by data-vars-page-type="story" data-vars-link-type="Manual">The Resistance Front (TRF), who in parallel published a photograph of the attack site," the report said, according to news agency PTI. Twenty-six civilians were killed in the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir, after which India retaliated through precision strikes under Operation Sindoor, targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir(PoK). "The claim of responsibility was repeated the following day. On 26 April, however, TRF retracted its claim. There was no further communication from TRF, and no other group claimed responsibility. Regional relations remain fragile. There is a risk that terrorist groups may exploit these regional tensions," it said. This is the first time that the TRF has been mentioned in any UN document. In the past, Pakistan stymied India's consistent efforts to name the TRF in the UNSC statements. It comes days after the United States on July 17) designated The Resistance Front (TRF) as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT), citing its role in the April 22 Pahalgam The development also assumes significance as all decisions of the UNSC's 1267 Sanctions Committee, including reports, are adopted by consensus by the members of the top body of the UN, according to the sources. Pakistan is a non-permanent member of the UNSC. After Operation Sindoor, which followed the Pahalgam attack, India had reached out to most of the UNSC member countries — permanent and non-permanent members – with multi-party political delegations visiting these countries in May-June. Speaking in the National Assembly recently, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar talked about forcing the removal of references to the TRF in the UNSC press statement condemning the Pahalgam attack. The latest mention of the TRF in the MT report is how the world views Pakistan's "lies and deceitful narrative", according to the sources. The report quoted another member state as saying that the Pahalgam attack was carried out by TRF, which was "synonymous with LeT". "One member state rejected these views and said that LeT was defunct," it said. The member state which claimed that LeT was defunct largely appears to be Pakistan. The UNSC's 1267 Sanctions Committee is tasked with implementing sanctions against terrorists, terror groups, and entities. The inclusion of TRF in the MT report despite Pakistan's efforts highlights Islamabad's undeniable involvement in fomenting terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, according to sources quoted by the Indian Express. Pakistan's strategy of plausible deniability, using secular and modern names like "The Resistance Front" and "People Against Fascist Front" for its jihadi proxies to divert attention from LeT and JeM (Jaish-e-Mohammed) terror groups and give an indigenous appearance to its terrorist activities in Jammu and Kashmir -- now stands 'punctured,' sources said. This also marks the first mention of the LeT and Pakistan-based terror groups in the report since 2019. "The inclusion of TRF in the MT report despite Pakistan's efforts for its removal highlights Pakistan's undeniable involvement in fomenting terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir," said a source quoted by the news agency. China, a permanent member of the UN Security Council, and Pakistan's apparent freind did not block the references to TRF or LeT in the UN report, the agency report said, The latest mention of the TRF in the MT report is how the world views Pakistan's 'lies and deceitful narrative.' Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday said in Lok Sabha that the three terrorists killed in Operation Mahadev in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday were those who carried out the Pahalgam strike.
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
UNSC report links TRF to attack in Pahalgam
The United Nations Security Council has for the first time, named The Resistance Front, a front for Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba in a document, linking the group to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, a development that is being seen as a diplomatic win for India. Indian soldiers trek back after a search operation around Baisaran meadow, a day after an attack on tourists in Pahalgam, on April 23, 2025. (AFP) The biannual report from the Security Council's monitoring team for sanctions on al-Qaeda and Islamic State clearly linked TRF to the Pahalgam attack and warned that terrorist groups could exploit tensions between India and Pakistan. 'On 22 April, five terrorists attacked a tourist spot in Pahalgam, in Jammu and Kashmir. Twenty-six civilians were killed. The attack was claimed that same day by The Resistance Front (TRF), who in parallel published a photograph of the attack site,' the report said. 'The claim of responsibility was repeated the following day. On 26 April, however, TRF retracted its claim. There was no further communication from TRF, and no other group claimed responsibility. Regional relations remain fragile. There is a risk that terrorist groups may exploit these regional tensions,' it said. The report comes in the wake of a July 17 move by the US to designate TRF as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and Specially Designated Global Terrorist, citing the Pahalgam terror attack. When the UN Security Council issued a press statement three days after the Pahalgam attack on April 22 that killed 26 civilians, Pakistan – currently a non-permanent member of the body – blocked any reference to TRF or even to Pahalgam. Pakistan's foreign minister Ishaq Dar subsequently said in Parliament that the country had removed any reference to TRF in the statement. Dar, however, changed his position after the US designation of TRF as a terrorist organization, and said Pakistan has no objections to this. The UNSC report stated, without naming specific countries, that one UN member state said the attack 'could not have happened without Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT) support, and that there was a relationship between LeT and TRF', while another member state said the 'attack was carried out by TRF, which was synonymous with LeT'. People familiar with the matter said on condition of anonymity that these two countries were India and the US. In an obvious reference to Pakistan, the UN Security Council report said: 'Yet one member state rejected these views and said that LeT was defunct.' Pakistan has for long taken the official position that LeT is 'defunct' since authorities imposed a ban on it. However, the group continues to be active in many cities and regions of Pakistan, raising funds and recruiting cadres while maintaining a low profile. The people cited above said the latest UN report is notable as all decisions of the 1267 Sanctions Committee, including monitoring team reports, are adopted by consensus by members of the Security Council. 'In other words, Pakistan was unable to prevent a reference to TRF in the report, as they had done in the case of the press statement in April,' a person said. The 1267 Sanctions Committee monitors sanctions on al-Qaeda, Islamic State and their affiliates. LeT and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) are included under the purview of the 1267 Sanctions Committee because of their links to al-Qaeda dating back to the 1990s. The people said it was also notable that Pakistan's close ally China, a permanent member of the UN Security Council, had not stepped in to block any reference to TRF or LeT in the UN report. In the past, China intervened on behalf of Pakistan to block the listing of Pakistani terrorists at the UN Security Council using what is known as a 'technical hold' or request for more information. In the case of JeM chief Masood Azhar, China blocked his listing by the Security Council for almost a decade before lifting its hold in 2019. 'The inclusion of TRF in the UN report has punctured Pakistan's strategy of plausible deniability by using secular and modern names such as The Resistance Front and People Against Fascist Front for its jihadi proxies. This was done to divert attention from LeT and JeM and give an indigenous guise to its terrorist activities in Jammu and Kashmir,' a second person said. The LeT and Pakistan-based terror groups have found mention in the monitoring team's report after several years. Following the Pahalgam attack, a team of Indian officials travelled to the US in mid-May and briefed the monitoring team of the 1267 Sanctions Committee and other partner countries on the activities of TRF and presented a dossier on the group. The team also met representatives of the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) and Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) as part of efforts to get TRF designated as a global terror group by the Security Council. India had also provided information about TRF's role and its links to LeT in half-yearly reports to the monitoring team in May and November 2024. Before this, the monitoring team was informed by the Indian side in December 2023 about the LeT and JeM operating in Jammu and Kashmir through groups such as TRF. On May 7, India carried out military strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir under Operation Sindoor in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack. This triggered four days of intense strikes and counter-strikes by the two countries using drones, missiles and long-range weapons before they reached an understanding on halting military actions on May 10.
