In a major counter-terrorism operation named Operation Sindoor, the Indian Armed Forces carried out a series of precise airstrikes early Wednesday targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). The strikes were launched in retaliation for the recent Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 25 Indian civilians and one Nepali national.
According to top security sources, the strikes resulted in the elimination of over 80 terrorists. Notably, 10 of those killed were family members and close associates of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) founder Masood Azhar. The most intense operations occurred in Bahawalpur and Muridke, where 25–30 terrorists were neutralised at each location.
The Indian forces targeted Markaz Subhan Allah, the JeM headquarters in Bahawalpur, and the infamous Masjid wa Markaz Taiba in Muridke — a known ideological hub for Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). Visual evidence presented by Col. Sofiya Qureshi confirmed the destruction of key terror camps, including those used to train attackers involved in the 2008 Mumbai attacks like Ajmal Kasab and David Headley.
In Muridke, Hafiz Abdul Malik, a high-value LeT operative, was reportedly eliminated in a precision strike on the Markaz Tayyeba facility. Meanwhile, another significant blow was dealt in Sialkot, where the Sarjal terror camp — known for training militants responsible for the deaths of four Jammu and Kashmir police personnel — was destroyed. This camp lies approximately six kilometers inside Pakistani territory.
The cross-border strikes also hit the Shawai Nallah Camp, also called Bait-ul-Mujahideen, situated on the Muzaffarabad-Neelum Road in PoK. This camp, a key LeT base, has long served as a training ground for terrorists, including the perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.
Reports from Muzaffarabad confirmed that a mosque housing a madrasa was among the structures hit. A local resident, Ahmed Abbasi, told Reuters that around 10 to 15 missiles struck the area suddenly, causing widespread destruction.
Despite the scale of the operation, India emphasized that the strikes were focused, measured, and deliberately non-escalatory. No Pakistani military installations were targeted. In an official statement, New Delhi underlined its intent: “India has demonstrated considerable restraint in the selection of targets and method of execution.”
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri revealed that The Resistance Front, the group claiming responsibility for the Pahalgam attack, is a proxy for the UN-designated terrorist organization Lashkar-e-Taiba. Investigations into the attack have unearthed communication links between the attackers and handlers based in Pakistan, confirming the group’s involvement.
