New Delhi: The nine targets struck under ‘Operation Sindoor’, four in Pakistan and five in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir, were chosen by the IAF after receiving intelligence inputs about terror camps operating under the guise of health centres to evade detection at these sites, officials said Wednesday.
Those targeted in the missile strikes launched by India in the aftermath of the April 22 killing of tourists at Pahalgam included the headquarters of globally banned terror groups Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba, besides Hizbul Mujahideen.
The targeted sites also included Lashkar-e-Taiba training camps linked to the 26/11 Mumbai attacks (including Ajmal Kasab’s training) and the group’s Muridke (Pakistan’s Punjab) headquarters, visited by David Headley and Tahawwur Rana. Al Qaeda terrorist Osama bin Laden, killed in 2011, had donated Rs 10 lakh for the construction of a guest house there.
The selection of targets was done based on extensive intelligence, primarily due to Pakistan’s changing strategies aimed at concealing terror camps and circumventing sanctions from international organisations, including the FATF.
Among the targets hit in the precise operation were Markaz Subhan Allah at Bahawalpur, Sarjal at Tehra Kalan, Markaz Abbas in Kotli and Syedna Bilal camp in Muzaffarabad (all of the banned Jaish-e-Mohammed terror group).
Markaz Taiba at Murdike, Markaz Ahle Hadith at Barnala and Shwawai Nalla camp at Muzaffarabad (all of banned Lashkar-e-Taiba) and Makaz Raheel Shahid in Kotli and Mehmoona Joya in Sialkot (camps and training centres of banned Hizbul Mujahideen) were also struck.
Out of the nine targets chosen by India, four were in Pakistan and the remaining five were in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir.
Giving details of the targets chosen, the sources said that the Jaish-e-Mohammed camp at Sarjal Tehra Kalan in Narowal district of Pakistan’s Punjab is the main launching pad for the terror group and is operated from a Primary Health Centre.
This camp is looked after by de facto chief Abdul Rauf Asgar. This facility, which is located six kilometres from the Samba sector of Jammu, is used for identifying the places and digging of cross-border tunnels for infiltration of terrorists.
This launch pad is also used for the operation of drones for arms and narcotics dropping across the border.
The Shawai Nallah camp at Muzaffarabad in PoK is one of the important camps of Lashkar-e-Taiba, where even the 26/11 attackers in Mumbai had received training. It was started in 2000. The Pakistani army and ISI have been frequenting this camp, which can accommodate up to 200-250 terrorists at a time, they said.
The terrorists from these camps infiltrate mainly into North Kashmir, they said, adding this camp is also used for radicalisation and map reading to fresh terror recruits.
Markaz Taiba at Muridke is being dubbed as ‘terror factor’ and one of the most important training centres for Lashkar-e-Taiba, where recruits are brainwashed, given physical training and a two-week-long indoctrination course. Around 1000 students in different courses get enrolled in this camp, they said.
At the behest of Pakistan’s ISI, all 10 terrorists, including Kasab, were imparted with ‘Daura-e-Ribbat (intelligence training) at this facility. Markaz Subhanallah at Bahawalpur in Pakistan is the main centre of Jaish-e-Mohammed for training and indoctrination and serves as the operational headquarters of the terror group.
The planning of the Pulwama terror strike of February 2019 was done at the camp.
This Markaz (Centre) also consists of residences of global terrorist and the founder of Jaish-e-Mohammed, Masood Azhar, his brother Asghar and others. This platform was used by Masood Azhar for anti-India rhetoric, they said.
Markaz Abbas camp in Kotli in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir was selected because it is headed by Qari Zarar, a close aide of Asghar, and has a presence of 100-125 Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists. Zarar is wanted by the NIA.
This facility is used for infiltration of terrorists from Poonch and Rajouri sectors, and all terror strikes are planned in this camp only, they said.
Another camp of Jaish-e-Mohammed known as Markaz Syedna Bilal, located at Muzaffarabad, has a presence of 50-100 terrorists and the Special Services Group of the Pakistan army provides training to the JeM cadres at this facility.
The Mehmoona Joya terror facility at Sialkot is concealed in a health unit, and it is used for infiltration of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists into the Jammu region, besides being a camp where training, including handling of weapons, is given.
The camp, which has a presence of 30 terrorists, is headed by Irfan Tanda, who has been responsible for carrying out attacks in Jammu city.
Markaz Raheel Shahid at Kotli in PoK camp, which was hit by the IAF, is also used for the Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists especially to train them in Border Action Team (BAT) and sniping attacks.
The ninth target was Markaz Ahle Hadith located at Barnala in Pok, which is used by Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists, they said, adding this camp has the capacity to accommodate 100-150 cadres.
PTI
