New Delhi: In a significant breakthrough in India’s counter-terrorism efforts, the bodies of three slain terrorists—Suleiman Shah, Jibran, and Hamza Afghani—have been identified following a high-precision joint operation in Kashmir’s Dachigam forest region. All three were Pakistani nationals and active operatives of the proscribed terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), sources confirmed.
Among the dead is Suleiman Shah, believed to be the mastermind behind the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. He was killed along with two of his close associates during ‘Operation Mahadev,’ a carefully coordinated assault by the Indian Army based on a combination of human and technical intelligence.
According to officials, the breakthrough came after a satellite phone transmission used by the terrorists was intercepted. Acting on this intelligence, the Army launched a surprise offensive in the rugged terrain between the Zabarwan and Mahadev ridges on the outskirts of Srinagar.
Sources revealed that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) brought previously arrested harbourers from Kot Lakhpat Jail to the encounter site for on-the-spot verification. The harbourers identified all three slain militants, confirming that they had earlier taken shelter in their Dhok (temporary hideout).
The second terrorist, Jibran, was reportedly linked to the 2023 Sonamarg Tunnel attack. The third, Hamza Afghani, was also positively identified, with one of the trio confirmed to be Hubaib Tahir from Khaigala in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Officials stated that the operation was executed with surgical precision after weeks of surveillance and intelligence gathering. Cross-verification of identities was carried out using prior inputs and photographic evidence.
Sources had earlier indicated that the terrorists neutralised in Dachigam were indeed responsible for the Baisaran attack. The elimination of these high-value targets marks a major success in India’s ongoing efforts to dismantle cross-border terror networks operating in Jammu and Kashmir.
