New Delhi: As part of its response to the 22 April Pahalgam terror attack, which had claimed the lives of 25 Indians and one Nepali national, India carried out precision strikes early Wednesday at nine locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir under Operation Sindoor.
India has underlined that these strikes at terror centres were “planned and directed”.
Of the 21 terror camps and training facilities in both Pakistan and PoK, the Indian military targeted nine sites with multiple missiles launched from both fighter aircraft and armed unmanned aircraft.
Even though India says Lashkar-e-Taiba’s The Resistance Front (TRF) is responsible for the Pahalgam attack, the strikes were carried out at camps run not just by Lashkar, but also Jaish-e-Mohammad, which was behind the 2019 Pulwama attack.
Markaz Subhan Allah, Punjab province
The biggest hit was registered at Markaz Subhan Allah, the headquarters of the JeM, which once used to house its founder Maulana Masood Azhar. He was among the terrorists released by India in exchange for freeing the hostages in the 1999 Kandahar hijack. While he has moved into a safe house of the Inter-Services Intelligence in Rawalpindi/Islamabad, sources said that the markaz was used for training, and several people close to him stayed there.
Sources in the defence and security establishment said that this markaz serves as the operational headquarters of JeM, associated with terrorist activity planning, including the Pulwama attack. Perpetrators of Pulwama attack were trained at this camp, they said.
It is located at an aerial distance of 100.4 km (approximately) from the International Border opposite of Khajuwala, Bikaner, Rajasthan.
The sources said that JeM commanders associated with their Afghan operations also visit this site for planning and meetings with senior functionaries of the outfit.
Mufti Abdul Rauf Asghar (MARA), the operational head, arranges for the consignments of weapons, including recently acquired M4 Rifles left by NATO forces in Afghanistan through Khyber Pakhtunkhwa-based smugglers, from this facility.
Key fidayeen terrorists, including close relatives of Azhar, such as his nephews Talha Rasheed, Usman, Umar and Mohammad Ismail—also known as Lambu—were indoctrinated for fidayeen attack at this facility and sent to Balakot for arms training.
Senior JeM functionaries, such as Asghar and other brothers of Azhar, and his brother-in-law Yusuf Azhar, also known as Ustad Ghouri—head of JeM’s (armed) wing—reside in this premises.
The markaz, according to sources, was built with the help of both the provincial and federal governments of Pakistan, apart from funds raised by JeM from some Gulf and African countries, including the UK, and has been operational since 2015.
In March 2018, a gymnasium was established inside the markaz. It also has a swimming pool since July 2018 for imparting rigorous swimming and deep-water diving courses for JeM cadres.
The terror outfit also imparts six-day archery training to its cadres and Shura members at the markaz. In 2019, a new ‘Al Hijama’ centre (treatment by use of pressure cupping) was established. Horse stables and riding ground were built at the site in May 2022.
On 30 November, 2024, Azhar had addressed JeM cadres at Markaz Subhan Allah after a gap of two years.
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Markaz Taiba, Muridke, Punjab
Established in 2000, Markaz Taiba is the ‘alma mater’, fountain head and the most important training centre of LeT, located in Nangal Sahdan, Muridke, Sheikhupura, Punjab, Pakistan.
The complex is spread across 82 acres and comprises a madrassa, market, residential area for terror entities, a sports facility, a fish farm and agricultural tracts. It holds arms and physical training facilities, as well as those for dawa’h and radicalisation/indoctrination for terror entities, both from within Pakistan and abroad.
Osama Bin Laden had financed Rs 10 million for construction of a mosque and guest House within this complex in 2000.
The 2008 Mumbai attack perpetrators, including David Coleman Headley and Tahawwur Hussain Rana, had visited Muridke, along with Abdul Rehman Sayed, Haroon and Khurram (co-conspirators), sources said.
LeT ideologues Amir Hamza, Abdul Rehman Abid and Zafar Iqbal reside in the premises of this markaz, while commanders Khubaib, Isa and Qasim frequently visit.
Other than these ideologues, Hafiz Saeed and other terror entities of LeT, including Zaki Ur Rehman Lakhvi, have houses in this facility.
Sarjal/Tehra Kalan
Located in Shakargarh, District Narowal in Pakistan’s Punjab, this is the main launching site of JeM for infiltration of terrorists into J&K. It is located inside the premises of a primary health center in Tehra Kalan village of Sarjal area so as to conceal its real purpose. This facility holds special prominence due to its close proximity of around 6 km from IB in Samba sector of Jammu.
This facility serves as the base for the digging of cross-border tunnels for infiltration of terrorists. Pak ISI and JeM have developed a network of underground tunnels in Shakargarh area, which is used for infiltration of JeM cadres into India.
All the tunnels which have been dug across the IB in Arnia-Jammu Sector are the handiwork of the handlers from this facility, sources said.
Mehmoona Joya
Located near Kotli Bhutta government hospital in Head Marala area of Sialkot district in Punjab, Pakistan, this facility belongs to the Hizbul Mujahideen.
Sources said that ISI has facilitated setting up of such launch facilities along IB & LoC in government buildings to hide or conceal terror infrastructure. This facility is used for infiltration of HM cadres into Jammu region of J&K. HM cadres are also given training for terrorist operations and handling of weapons by senior commanders at this facility. Mohd. Irfan Khan or ‘Irfan Tanda’ is the commander of this facility.
Markaz Ahle Hadith, Barnala
This markaz belongs to the LeT and is situated in Bhimber district in PoK. Markaz Ahle Hadith is one of the important camps of LeT in PoK, and is used for infiltration of LeT terrorists and arms/ammunition into the Poonch-Rajauri-Reasi sector in India.
It is situated at a distance of 500 metres from Barnala town and 200 metres from Kote Jemel road.
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Markaz Abbas
This facility belongs to the JeM and is located in Mohalla Roli Dhara Bypass Road, Kotli in PoK. This markaz is located approximately 2 km south-east of Kotli Military Camp.
Hafiz Abdul Shakoor, also known as Qari Zarrar, is the head of this markaz. Qari Zarrar is a Shura member of JeM Council, while Zarrar is one of the founding members of JeM. He was initially part of the Harkat-ul-Mujahideen (HuM) terror group, but later left it and founded JeM, along with Azhar.
Sawai Nala
The Sawai Nala camp is in Muzaffarabad, 30 km from the Line of Control (LoC) in Tangdhar sector. This was key to the LeT training facility.
The attack on civilians and security forces in Sonmarg on 20 October, 2024, Gulmarg on 24 October, 2024, and the Pahalgam attack on 22 April this year, were carried out by the terror module which germinated at Sawai Nala.
Syedna Belal, Muzaffarabad
A camp of the JeM, this was being used as a staging area. This camp was used to train terrorists in weapons, explosives and jungle-cum-survival techniques for carrying out terrorist activities across LoC in Kashmir region.
Gulpur, Kotli
Located 30 km from the LoC, it was the base for LeT terrorists operating in Rajouri-Poonch. Attacks in Poonch on 20 April, 2023, and the attack on pilgrims travelling in a bus on 9 June, 2024 near Reasi, were conducted by terrorists trained in Gulpur.
Inputs confirm that Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, the 26/11 mastermind, frequently visited this camp for indoctrination and motivational speeches.
Abbas camp, Kotli
Located about 13 km from LoC opposite Rajouri, it was known as the nerve centre
for training of suicide bombers of LeT. This camp had key terrorist training infrastructure for about 50 terrorists.
Barnala camp, Bhimber
Located 9 km from LoC opposite Rajouri-Poonch sector, this camp was used for providing training to terrorists in weapon handling, IED making and jungle survival techniques.
(Edited by Mannat Chugh)
Also Read: Fidayeen factories of Lashkar-e-Taiba in Muridke, Jaish in Bahawalpur targeted in Operation Sindoor