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The recent terrorist attack in Baisaran Valley near Pahalgam, which resulted in the tragic deaths of 26 individuals, has drawn attention to a deeply entrenched terror network operating in Jammu and Kashmir.
Believed to be one of the deadliest strikes since the revocation of Article 370 in 2019, the incident has prompted intense diplomatic and security actions from the Indian government, who point fingers at Pakistan for sheltering the perpetrators.
Lashkar-e-Taiba Behind Pahalgam Massacre
Initial investigations confirm that the terrorist strike was orchestrated by a module linked to the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
The group reportedly consisted of mostly foreign militants, with assistance from local operatives and logistical support from Valley-based overground workers. The attack is believed to have been carried out under the remote guidance of 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed, Lashkar’s supreme commander.
Security officials report that this module has operated in the Valley for years, having orchestrated several previous high-profile attacks. Notably:
In October 2024, four individuals, including two soldiers, were killed in Boota Pathri. That same month, six workers and a doctor were slain in Sonamarg during a violent assault on a tunnel construction site.
Authorities suspect Hashim Musa, a key figure in the Pahalgam killings, was involved in the Sonamarg ambush as well.
Following the Sonamarg killings, security forces eliminated top LeT terrorist Junaid Ahmed Bhatt in a December 2024 encounter in Dachigam. A native of Kulgam and classified as an A+ category militant, Bhatt’s death marked a major breakthrough. However, other cell members managed to escape, going into hiding in forested areas until further instructions arrived from across the border.
Direct Links to Lashkar’s Leadership in Pakistan
The terror group is said to be under the direct command of Lashkar-e-Taiba’s top leadership, namely Hafiz Saeed and his deputy, Saifullah, both operating out of Pakistan. Intelligence agencies claim the module receives operational, ideological, and logistical aid from Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
Though primarily composed of foreign jihadists, the module also includes Kashmiri locals and overground workers, who provide critical support and safe havens.
In the horrifying multi-location assault across Baisaran, gunmen reportedly killed:
Five people in one concentrated area,
Two others in an open field,
Several near fencing around the valley.
Eyewitnesses say the terrorists engaged some victims in casual conversation before opening fire. Those who managed to scale the fence were spared.
