In the aftermath of one of the most devastating terror attacks in the Pahalgam region in nearly two decades, Indian intelligence agencies have identified five individuals responsible—three of them Pakistani nationals and two hailing from Jammu and Kashmir. The named foreign militants include Asif Fauji, also known as Moosa, Suleman Shah (alias Yunus), and Abu Talha (alias Asif). The local operatives have been identified as Adil Guri from Bijbehara in Anantnag district and Ahsan from Pulwama. Both had previously traveled to Pakistan in 2018 and reportedly underwent intensive militant training before returning to Indian territory.
Sources confirm that Fauji and Shah are not new to the region and are believed to be linked to earlier attacks, including the ambush on an Indian Air Force convoy in Poonch in May 2024. Guri and Ahsan, on the other hand, are suspected to have re-entered India more recently.
The brutal assault occurred in the Baisaran meadow area near Pahalgam, where attackers allegedly forced male civilians to recite Islamic prayers or prove religious identity. With no surveillance cameras in the area, investigators are relying heavily on survivor accounts.
Authorities have released sketches of three attackers and announced a reward of ₹20 lakh for credible information on each. The National Investigation Agency (NIA), led by Inspector General Vijay Sakhare, is heading the probe from Srinagar, working closely with Jammu and Kashmir Police. Investigators are also exploring a possible link to Saifullah Kasuri, a top Lashkar-e-Toiba commander and close associate of Hafiz Saeed, who recently made provocative statements about “liberating Kashmir” by 2026.
Security forces suspect the attackers may have escaped into the higher reaches of the Pir Panjal range, and search operations have intensified across the region.
