Latest news with #AbuHamza
Hans India
4 hours ago
- Hans India
Soldier killed as infiltration bid foiled along LoC in J&K's Uri sector
Srinagar: A soldier was killed on Wednesday as the alert troops foiled an infiltration bid on the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Uri sector. 'One soldier was killed during a fierce gunfight with terrorists. The Army has launched a counter-infiltration and border action team (BAT) operation in the area, and a search operation is underway. The troops foiled the infiltration bid in the Churunda area of Uri in the Baramulla district," the officials said. A counter-infiltration operation has been launched in the area to track down the terrorists. An exchange of fire is going on, and further details are awaited, the sources added. Meanwhile, the protracted anti-terrorist operation in the Akhal Devsar forest area of Kulgam district in Kashmir entered its 13th day on Wednesday. Notably, this operation is the longest ongoing anti-terrorist operation in the Valley. On the first night of the gunfight on August 1, one local terrorist was killed and four soldiers were injured. Two injured soldiers later succumbed to critical injuries, while the other injured are being treated in the hospital. Officials said that since this is a vast and dense forest area, the operation may be prolonged. Joint forces, including the Indian Army, CRPF and J&K Police, had started CASO (Cordon & Search Operations) in the area on August 1. The Army has deployed Rudra helicopters, drones and para commandos to ensure that the hiding terrorists are unable to escape. Security forces have been carrying out aggressive operations against the terrorists in the hinterland, while the Army has been on maximum alert guarding the LoC in J&K. The elimination of three hardcore Pakistani terrorists responsible for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 people were killed, is part of the aggressive operations being carried out by the joint forces. Three hardcore Pakistani terrorists, including Lashkra-e-Taiba (LeT) commander, Suleman Shah and his two associates, Abu Hamza and Jibran Bhai, responsible for the Pahalgam attack, were killed on July 28 in the higher reaches of Dachigam national park on the foot of Mahadev mountain peak in Harwan area of Srinagar. The Army code-named this operation as 'Operation Mahadev'. After the Pahalgam terror attack, the security forces are carrying out anti-terrorist operations against gun-wielding terrorists, their overground workers and sympathisers.
India.com
3 days ago
- Politics
- India.com
Gunfight erupts between security forces and terrorists in J&K's Kishtwar; Army deploys Rudra helicopters, drones
J&K encounter- PTI image Kishtwar: A gunfight started on Sunday between the joint security forces and the terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district. The Army has deployed Rudra helicopters, drones and para commandos to ensure that the hiding terrorists are unable to escape. Security forces have been carrying out aggressive operations against the terrorists in the hinterland, while the Army has been on maximum alert guarding the Line of Control (LoC) in J&;K. Nagrota headquartered WhiteKnight Corps of the Army said on X, 'Alert Indian Army troops while carrying out an intelligence based operation have established contact with terrorists in general area of Dul in Kishtwar in early hours of 10 Aug 2025. Gunfire exchanged. Operation under progress'. Meanwhile, the prolonged anti-terrorist operation in the Akhal Devsar forest area of Kashmir's Kulgam district entered its 10th day. So far, one local terrorist and two soldiers have been killed in this operation, while four soldiers sustained injuries and are being treated in the hospital. The elimination of three hardcore Pakistani terrorists responsible for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 people were killed, is part of the aggressive operations being carried out by the joint forces. Three hardcore Pakistani terrorists, including Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander, Suleman Shah and his two associates, Abu Hamza and Jibran Bhai, responsible for the Pahalgam attack, were killed on July 28 in the higher reaches of Dachigam national park on the foot of Mahadev mountain peak in Harwan area of Srinagar. The Army code-named this operation as 'Operation Mahadev'. After the Pahalgam terror attack, the security forces are carrying out anti-terrorist operations against gun-wielding terrorists, their overground workers and sympathisers. Drug smugglers and drug peddlers are also on the radar of the security forces because it is believed that the funds generated by the hawala money racket and drug smuggling are finally used to sustain terrorism in the union territory. The coordinated and Intelligence-backed operations of the joint forces are aimed at dismantling the ecosystem of terrorism in J&;K rather than focusing on just the elimination of the gun-wielding terrorists.
India Today
05-08-2025
- India Today
How Pahalgam terrorist's reliance on technology sealed their fate
After the April 22 Pahalgam massacre, in which 26 civilians were gunned down, the three Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists responsible vanished into the unforgiving mountains of South Baisaran bloodbath triggered one of the biggest manhunts launched by security forces, with multiple teams spreading out from Baisaran, trekking deep into the wilderness — kilometre after kilometre — but to no avail. Given the challenging terrain, finding the three terrorists in the area was like looking for a needle in a haystack. The trio trekked for days, then weeks, and eventually months, disappearing deep into the Dachigam–Harwan forests — a remote stretch with almost no mobile network coverage, a dense canopy that blocks aerial sightlines, and a long history of providing refuge to security agencies, this was not just a manhunt — it was a race against terrain, technology, and time. Hopes began to fade despite multiple cordon-and-search operations launched to track down the perpetrators. But a glimmer of hope emerged from the satellite phone carried by the terrorists. The flickering signal was definitive proof that the trio was still in the Kashmir Valley and had not exfiltrated back to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). From the outset, the terrorists — Suleman Shah, Abu Hamza, and Yasir Jibran — ensured they stayed beyond the reach of conventional surveillance. They carried no regular mobile phones that could be traced through telecom towers. Instead, they used a Huawei satellite phone connected to the Inmarsat4 F1 network, allowing them to send encrypted messages directly to handlers in Pakistan without ever touching an Indian to high-level sources, 'On the slain terrorists' bodies were found three Motorola Android devices with the Alpine Quest navigation app installed — an offline app that provides access to detailed topographic maps.' This allowed them to navigate confidently through unfamiliar jungle terrain without relying on mobile data or GPS sources revealed that the app was used not just for navigation, but also to monitor the locations of security force installations — helping the terrorists maintain a safe distance from patrol zones. Radio communication was kept to a minimum, limited to short bursts, typically late at night, making early interception nearly first major breakthrough came in the third week of May, when the Intelligence Bureau and the Army's signal units managed to partially fix the location of the 'ultra set' — the satellite phone. Even this was a significant challenge. The dense forest canopy, high ridgelines, and deep valleys of Dachigam created natural blind spots that absorbed and deflected signals. Recognising the limitations, the Ministry of Home Affairs deployed three advanced RF surveillance devices capable of detecting faint radio frequencies in signal-shadow human intelligence inputs began to flow. The intelligence grid received credible tip-offs about the terrorists' movement inside Dachigam — information later confirmed by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in a briefing to Parliament. Security personnel, equipped with indigenous RF scanners, began tracking fleeting pings from the satellite phone. With upgraded equipment on the ground, the signal hunt intensified. Triangulation from multiple elevated positions gradually narrowed the suspected hideout area to just six square kilometres — still dense forest, but now a manageable search this intelligence in hand, 24 Rashtriya Rifles, responsible for the region, assessed the need for enhanced firepower given the operational complexity. In consultation with the General Officer Commanding, 4 PARA was brought in to lead the strike. Concurrently, the intelligence unit activated one of its most trusted human assets to penetrate the jungle. The operative returned with vital last-mile intelligence, including specific details of the terrorists' movements and temporary this information reached the operations room, it took just 36 hours to close the July 25, the last satellite phone activity was logged. The cordon-and-search operation began shortly afterward. On July 28, deep inside the Dachigam–Harwan belt, contact was made. The firefight that ensued was brief but decisive. All three terrorists — Suleman Shah, Abu Hamza, and Yasir Jibran — were neutralised. According to sources, each was eliminated with precise headshots, with no more than five to six bullets used in the recoveries were the Huawei satellite phone, the Motorola devices with Alpine Quest, ropes, steel cups, wire cutters, and a camphor-like inflammable substance — all pointing to meticulous long-term jungle survival planning. The weapons seized — two AK47 rifles and one M4 carbine — were later forensically matched to shell casings recovered from the Baisaran massacre site, conclusively confirming that the men killed in Operation Mahadev were indeed the perpetrators of one of the year's most horrific terror attacks.- EndsTune InMust Watch
India.com
04-08-2025
- Politics
- India.com
Chocolate Wrappers, Voter ID Cards Link Pahalgam Attackers To Pak: Sources
Chocolate wrappers, Pakistani ID cards, satellite phone logs and more have linked Pahalgam attackers with Pakistan, sources say. The evidences recovered by the Indian agencies between July 28-29 echo Union Home Minister Amit Shah's speech in the Lok Sabha on July 29, which said that the identities of the terrorists have been traced to Pakistan. "For the first time we have government-issued Pakistani documents in hand that nail the nationality of the Pahalgam attackers beyond doubt," Shah had said. Forensic, documentary and testimonial evidence collected during and after Operation Mahadev conclusively showed that all three attackers of the Pahalgam terror attack were Pakistani nationals and senior Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operatives who had been hiding in the Dachigam-Harwan forest belt since the day of the attack. No local Kashmiri was part of the shooting team. The terrorists were identified as Suleman Shah (code named Faizal Jatt), an A++ commander who was the mastermind and lead shooter; Abu Hamza (code named Afghan), an A- grade commander, was the second gunman; and Yasi (code named Jibran), was an A- grade commander, was the third gunman and rear security, as per sources. As a part of evidence to link these terrorists to Pakistan, the security forces recovered Pakistan Voter ID Cards. Two laminated voter slips issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan were found in the pockets of Suleman Shah and Abu Hamza. The voter serial numbers (photographed and circulated to the FIA) correspond to electoral rolls in Lahore (NA-125) and Gujranwala (NA-79) respectively. Further, they found National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA)-linked Smart-ID chips. A micro-SD recovered from a damaged sat-phone contained the NADRA biometric records (fingerprints, facial template, family tree) of all three men, confirming their Pakistani citizenship and addresses in Changa Manga (Kasur district) and Koiyan village near Rawalakot, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, as per sources. The security forces further found Pakistan-manufactured personal items. Wrappers of Karachi-based chocolates were found in the same rucksack that carried spare magazines. Lot numbers printed on wrappers were traced to a May 2024 consignment shipped to Muzaffarabad, PoK. The security forces further tracked the terrorists' movement upto the attack. The details revealed that they had crossed LoC near Gurez sector. Intelligence Bureau intercepted placed their first radio check-in from the Pakistani side. On April 21, the terrorists moved into a seasonal hut ("dhok") at Hill Park, 2 km from Baisaran. Two detained Kashmiri helpers, Parvaiz and Bashir Ahmad Jothar, confessed to sheltering them overnight and providing cooked food. On the day of the attack, they trekked to Baisaran meadow, which was evident as the GPS waypoints recovered from Suleman Shah's Garmin device match the exact firing positions reported by eyewitnesses. They then carried out shootings and then escaped north-east toward Dachigam. There were shell casings at the scene that matched the three AK-103 rifles recovered on 28 July. The 7.62x39 mm casings found in Baisaran were test-fired against the three AK-103 rifles seized on July 28, wherein the striation marks matched 100 per cent. Futher, DNA evidence was also found. The Mitochondrial profiles extracted from blood on a torn shirt found at Pahalgam were identical to the DNA of the three bodies recovered in Dachigam. Upon tracing digital footprint, it was found that a satellite phone (IMEI 86761204-XXXXXX) used by the trio had been pinging Inmarsat-4 F1 every night between April 22 and July 25; triangulation narrowed the search grid to 4 km² inside Harwan forest. The command and control links in Pakistan were found to be Sajid Saifullah Jatt, LeT's south-Kashmir operations chief (a resident of Changa Manga, Lahore), who was the overall handler; voice samples from the recovered sat-phone match his earlier intercepted calls. Rizwan Anees, LeT Rawalakot Chief, visited the families of the slain attackers on 29 July to organise ghibana namaz (funeral prayers without bodies) and was filmed by locals--footage now part of the Indian dossier. On July 28 Indian security forces killed the three men who had carried out the April 22 Pahalgam massacre, in which 26 civilians--mostly Hindu tourists--were gunned down in Baisaran meadow, an official statement said.
India Today
04-08-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Voter IDs, Candyland chocolates, GPS: Trail of Pahalgam terrorists leads to Pak
Recovery of Pakistani voter ID cards, Karachi-manufactured chocolates, and a micro-SD chip containing biometric records established that the three Lashkar terrorists killed on July 28 in Operation Mahadev were from ballistic analysis of shell casings found in the Pahalgam attack site also matched the striation marks on the AK-103 rifles seized from the terrorists, leaving no doubt that the trio were behind the April 22 massacre that left 26 civilians findings were drawn from the post-encounter evidence released by security agencies recently. VOTER ID CARDS, MICRO SD NAIL PAK LINK Nearly three months after the Pahalgam attack, security forces eliminated the terror trio on July 28 in the Dachigam area of Srinagar in Operation report released by the security agencies identified Suleman Shah as the mastermind of the Pahalgam attack and lead shooter. Abu Hamza "Afghani" was the second gunman while Yasir, alias Jibran, was the third laminated voter ID slips issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan were recovered from the bodies of Suleman Shah and Abu voter serial numbers have been found on the electoral rolls in Lahore (NA-125) and Gujranwala (NA-79) a further technological breakthrough, a micro-SD card recovered from a damaged satellite phone contained the NADRA (Pakistan's national citizen registry) biometric records of all the three men, confirming their Pakistani recovered data included fingerprints, facial templates, and family tree records. Their registered addresses are in Changa Manga (Kasur District) and Koiyan village near Rawalakot, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK).Moreover, wrappers of 'Candyland' and 'Chocomax' chocolates (both brands produced in Karachi) were found in the belongings of the slain terrorists, further establishing their Pakistani TO PAHALGAM ATTACKForensic and ballistic analysis further confirmed that the trio were the terrorists who went on a rampage on April 22, killing innocent tourists who were picnicking and enjoying the beauty of the picturesque Baisaran of the 7.62x39 mm shell casings found at the Baisaran attack site matched the striation marks on the three AK-103 rifles seized from the mitochondrial profiles extracted from blood found on a torn shirt in Pahalgam were identical to the DNA of the three bodies recovered in TIMELINEThe movement of the terrorists has also been traced by the intelligence agencies. The trio crossed the Line of Control (LoC) near Gurez sector way back in May 2022. This was confirmed after intelligence agencies intercepted their first radio check-in from the Pakistani April 21, 2025, the terrorists moved into a seasonal hut (known in local parlance as dhok) at Hill Park, which is 2 km from was corroborated by the two Kashmiri locals, Parvaiz and Bashir Ahmad, who confessed to sheltering them overnight and providing cooked April 22, the terrorists trekked to the Baisaran meadow, where they carried out the attack at 2.30 pm before fleeing northeast towards the dense forest of GPS coordinates recovered from Suleman Shah's Garmin watch match the exact firing positions reported by eyewitnesses.- EndsTune InMust Watch
