After Op Sindoor, Pak Terrorists Shifting To This Remote Region To Rebuild

JeM and Hizbul Mujahideen observed relocating westward following Indian strikes. (Representational)

New Delhi:

In the aftermath of India's Operation Sindoor—which successfully destroyed nine major terrorist facilities across Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and mainland Pakistan—established terror organizations have begun relocating their operations. Intelligence reports indicate Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) are now establishing new strongholds deep within Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province, near the Afghanistan border.

On May 7, India conducted precision strikes targeting an extensive network of terrorist infrastructure spanning PoK and Pakistan's Punjab province. Using sophisticated stand-off missiles, the Indian military forces successfully hit critical facilities operated by Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed, and Hizbul Mujahideen.

The 9 Targeted Facilities

Markaz Subhanallah (Bahawalpur, Punjab): This 15-acre JeM headquarters has long functioned as a center for recruitment, training and indoctrination. Notable JeM leaders including Mufti Abdul Rauf Asghar, brother of Masood Azhar, operated from here, with direct links to the 2019 Pulwama attack.

Markaz Taiba (Muridke, Punjab): An extensive 82-acre Lashkar complex responsible for producing terrorists like Ajmal Kasab who participated in the 2008 Mumbai attacks. Partially funded by Osama bin Laden, this center has served as LeT's primary ideological and military hub since 2000.

Sarjal/Tehra Kalan Facility (Narowal District): A JeM launch facility near Jammu's Samba sector, specialized in tunnel construction and drone operations. Notably, it was concealed within a primary health center, exemplifying ISI's strategy of embedding terrorist facilities within civilian infrastructure.

Mehmoona Joya Facility (Sialkot): A Hizbul base facilitating infiltration into Jammu, supervised by Mohd Irfan Khan (alias Irfan Tanda), connected to the 1995 Maulana Azad Stadium bombings.

Markaz Ahle Hadith (Barnala, PoJK): An LeT staging ground targeting the Poonch-Rajouri sector. Terrorists operating from this location were linked to the 2023 Dhangri and 2024 Reasi civilian killings.

Markaz Abbas (Kotli, PoJK): A JeM facility commanded by veteran operative Qari Zarrar, directly involved in orchestrating the 2016 Nagrota Army camp attack.

Maskar Raheel Shahid (Kotli, PoJK): An HM training camp providing specialized Border Action Team (BAT) and sniper training, previously overseen by HM chief Syed Salahuddin.

Shawai Nallah Camp (Muzaffarabad, PoJK): A significant LeT facility offering Daura-e-Aam training alongside GPS, map-reading, and weapons instruction.

Syedna Bilal Markaz (Muzaffarabad, PoJK): A JeM transit facility associated with Mufti Asghar Khan Kashmiri and Indian fugitive Aashiq Nengroo.

Migration to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

With PoK now under enhanced Indian surveillance, both JeM and HM have been detected shifting operations westward. Intelligence sources confirm these organizations are establishing new foundations within Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

The province's rugged mountainous geography, combined with its permeable borders with Afghanistan, provides natural concealment advantages. Many areas still maintain hideouts constructed during the 1980s anti-Soviet Afghan conflict and subsequent American campaign in Afghanistan after the 9/11 attacks. The geographic depth offers greater protection against aerial operations compared to PoK, where India has demonstrated strike capability.

Renewed Recruitment Efforts

On September 14, just hours before the India-Pakistan Asia Cup cricket match, Jaish organized what was publicly described as a religious gathering in Garhi Habibullah, Mansehra district, approximately 190 km from Islamabad. The event's actual purpose was recruitment.

The gathering featured Masood Ilyas Kashmiri, also known as Abu Mohammad. During his address, Kashmiri praised Osama bin Laden, declared KPK a "stronghold of Mujahideen," and claimed Pakistan's military routinely attends funerals of JeM fighters.

Intelligence reports indicate Pakistani army personnel were present among attendees while police provided security.

Jaish is currently preparing for a larger assembly in Peshawar scheduled for September 25. To evade international monitoring, they plan to operate under the new identity "Al-Murabitun"—an Arabic term meaning "the guardians."

Hizbul Mujahideen has likewise resurfaced in KPK. The organization has established a training facility in Bandai within Lower Dir district, approximately 250 km from Islamabad, designated HM 313. This name references both the 624 AD Battle of Badr, where 313 fighters reportedly accompanied Prophet Muhammad, and Al-Qaeda's Brigade 313.

The property for HM 313 was acquired in August 2024. By September 2025, construction of perimeter walls and training infrastructure was underway.

Leadership Behind the Resurgence

Central to Jaish's reemergence in KPK is Masood Ilyas Kashmiri. Born in Rawalkot, PoK, he joined Jaish in 2001. His background includes combat against NATO forces in Afghanistan during the early 2000s and orchestrating the 2018 Sunjwan Army Camp attack in Jammu.

Currently, he functions as JeM's commander for both KPK and Kashmir regions while overseeing PAFF (People's Anti-Fascist Front), a Lashkar-Jaish proxy frequently deployed for operations in Jammu and Kashmir.

Rising Violence in KPK

A provincial police assessment documents 605 terrorist incidents in KPK between January and August 2025. These attacks resulted in 138 civilian deaths and 352 injuries. Among security personnel, 79 Pakistani police officers were killed and 130 wounded.

August alone recorded 129 violent incidents, including an attack that killed six members of Pakistan's Army and paramilitary Federal Constabulary. The most severely affected districts include Bannu (42 attacks), North Waziristan (15), South Waziristan (14), and Dir (11), according to the report.

In June, the Islamabad-based Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies documented 78 attacks resulting in 100 fatalities and 189 injuries. The casualties comprised 53 security personnel and 39 civilians.