Nine terror camps used by groups like the Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad to carry out attacks in India were destroyed in overnight aerial strikes in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK).
Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh along with Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri briefed the media on the precision strikes on terror camps.
The targets struck in Pakistan included Sarjal camp in Sialkot, Mehmoona Joya and Markaz Taiba, Muridke, and Markaz Subhanallah in Bahawalpur. In POK, the targets included Sawai Nala and Syedna Bilal in Muzaffarabad, Gulpur and Abbas camps in Kotli, and Barnala camp in Bhimber.
Muzaffarabad (POK)
- The Sawai Nala camp in Muzaffarabad, located in POK, about 30 km from the LoC, was a key training facility of the Lashkar-e-Taiba. Terrorists trained here had carried out attacks on civilians and security forces in Gulmarg and Sonmarg last year, and the Pahalgam attack.
- The Syedna Belal camp in Muzaffarabad was used as a staging area by the Jaish-e-Mohammad to carry out attacks across the LOC. Here, terrorists were given training in weapons and explosives, and in jungle survival.
Kotli (POK)
- The Gulpur camp in Kotli, located 30 km from the LoC, was the base camp for Lashkar-e-Taiba. Terrorists trained here operated in the Rajauri-Poonch her, and had carried out attacks in Poonch in 2023 and on a bus of pilgrims last year. Mumbai attacks mastermind Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi reportedly frequented this camp for indoctrination purposes.
- The Abbas camp in Kotli was located about 13 km from the LOC and was known as the nerve centre for training Lashkar’s suicide bombers. This camp had the capacity to train about 50 terrorists.
Bhimber (POK)
- The Barnala camp in Bhimber was located 9 km from the LOC and was used for giving weapons and explosives training to terror recruits. They were also taught jungle survival techniques.
Sialkot (Pakistan)
- The Sarjal camp in Sialkot was located about 6 km from the International Border. The attack that left four policemen dead in Jammu and Kashmir in March was carried out by terrorists trained here.
- The Mehmoona Joya camp near Sialkot was located around 12 km from the International Boundary. It was a training facility of the Hizbul Mujahideen and was also used for spreading terrorism in the Kathua-Jammu region. The 2016 attack at the Pathankot airbase was directed from this camp.
Muridke (Pakistan)
- The Markaz Taiba camp in Muridke, located around 25 km from the border, was the headquarters of Lashkar-e-Taiba. Ajmal Kasab, the terrorist who was caught alive during the Mumbai attacks, had confessed that he was trained here. David Headley also reportedly trained here.
Bhawalpur (Pakistan)
- About 100 km from the border, the Markaz Subhan camp in Bhawalpur was the headquarters of Jaish-e-Mohammad. It was used for recruitment, training, and the indoctrination of potential recruits. Terror commanders like Masood Azhar frequented this camp.
The precision strikes were carried out using niche technology weapons with careful selection of warheads that ensured no collateral damage, said the officers, adding that the point of impact in each of the strikes was a specific building or a group of buildings.
No military establishment was targeted, and there has been no report of collateral damage, they added.
