New Delhi: Security agencies have uncovered a detailed trail behind the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, revealing that the militant group responsible had infiltrated through the Dehra Ki Gali (DKG) sector in Poonch and has been operating across Jammu and Kashmir since late 2022 or early 2023. Active for over a year, the group is believed to be behind at least three major attacks on Indian security forces before shifting its operations into Kashmir in mid-2024.
The group’s first confirmed attack occurred on December 21, 2023, when they ambushed an Army convoy in the Bufliaz area of Surankote, Poonch, killing four Indian soldiers. This was followed by another deadly strike in May 2024, targeting an Indian Air Force convoy near Sanai, also in Surankote. After operating in the dense forest and rugged terrain of Poonch for several months, the group reportedly moved towards Kashmir using the same DKG-Bufliaz infiltration route around August or September 2024.
Once inside Kashmir, the group split into two smaller cells. One moved towards Sonmarg while the other headed for Gulmarg. On October 20, a local militant named Junaid, accompanied by a Pakistani associate, attacked non-local workers in Sonmarg. Days later, on October 26, the second module launched an assault on Army vehicles in Gulmarg. In a major counter-insurgency operation that followed, Junaid was killed near Harwan in Srinagar, while his associate managed to escape. Data retrieved from Junaid’s mobile phone provided crucial leads, confirming the group’s role in the earlier Poonch ambushes and helping piece together their movement and structure.
According to intelligence reports, the two cells regrouped just before launching the coordinated Pahalgam attack, showing a marked escalation in planning and firepower. Signals intercepted from Hapatnar, Tral, and DH Pora suggest the group had broader operational reach and may have established temporary safe zones. Some of the communication may have been an intentional ploy to mislead the forces tracking them.
A significant discovery in the investigation is the group’s strategic use of mountainous terrain and footpaths, completely avoiding roads to evade surveillance. The difficult geography of the region gave them a major tactical advantage, allowing them to move, regroup, and strike with minimal detection.
With the group’s tactics and timeline now clearer, security forces have stepped up counter-insurgency operations across the Valley. The focus remains on dismantling this highly mobile and lethal network before it can regroup or launch further attacks.
