Operation Sindoor: Why India Chose Nine Terror Hotspots For Aerial Attacks In Pakistan
India launched a precision missile attack on nine terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in the early hours of Wednesday as a part of the 'Operation Sindoor'.
The operation was carried out jointly by the Indian Army, the Air Force and the Navy, where the forces attacked sites, including that of Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Taiba in Pakistan and PoK in a 25-minute-long measured and non-escalatory missile and drone strike.
As a part of the Operation Sindoor, the Indian military targeted Markaz Taiba of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in Muridke, Markaz Subhan Allah of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) in Bahawalpur and Hizbul Mujahideen's Mehmoona Joya Facility in Sialkot and LeT's base in Markaz Ahle Hadith in Barnala and its camp in Muzaffarabad's Shawai Nalla, officials said.
Here is all you need to know about the nine terror sites targeted during Operation Sindoor:
Markaz Subhan Allah: Markaz Subhan Allah is located at the Hinghway connecting Karachi and Torkham on the outskirts of Bahawalpur in Punjab province of Pakistan. The camp, considered the centre of JeM for training and indoctrination, is spread over a 15-acre and serves as operational headquarters of JeM and its associates.
It was at the Markaz Subhan Allah where the terrorist planned the Pulwama attack on Feb 14, 2019, which led to the deaths of over 40 CRPF personnel. The Markaz also consists of residences of JeM Chief Maulana Masood Azhar, de-facto Chief of JeM Mufti Abdul Rauf Asghar, Maulana Ammar and others.
Markaz Taiba: The Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) camp in Muridke in Punjab province was established 2000. Spread across 82 acres, the camp comprises of madrassa, market, residential area for terror entities, sports facility, a fish farm and agricultural tracts. The complex also holds arms and physical training facility. Osama Bin Laden had financed Rs 10 million for the construction of Mosque and Guest House within the Markaz Taiba complex in 2000. LeT ideologues Amir Hamza, Abdul Rehman Abid and Zafar Iqbal reside in the premises of this Markaz.
Tehra Kalan Facility: The Jaish-e-Mohammad facility is the main launching site of JeM for infiltration of terrorists into Jammu and Kashmir. The site is located in the Shakargarh Tehsil of Narowal District in Punjab. The facility serves as the base for the digging of cross-border tunnels for infiltration of terrorists.
Mehmoona Joya Facility: The Mehmoona Joya facility of Hizbul Mujahideen is located near Kotli Bhutta government hospital in Head Marala area of Sialkot District of Punjab. Several facilities of JeM and Hizbul Mujahideen in Punjab operate from basic health units and Primary Health Centre which has been facilitated by ISI.
Irfan Tanda, alias Mohd. Irfan Khan, is the commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen facility and he has been involved in carrying out several attacks in Jammu region, particularly in January 1995 in Maulana Azad Stadium of Jammu, leaving 8 dead and 50 wounded.
Markaz Ahle Hadith Barnala: Markaz Ahle Hadith in Barnala is one of the important centres of LeT in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The centre has been used for infiltration of LeT terrorists and ammunition into Poonch, Rajauri and Reasi sector. The Markaz is situated at outskirts of Barnala town on Kote Jamel road and is at a distance of 500 metres from Barnala town and 200 metre from Kote Jemel road. The markaz is also utilized as staging centre for LeT terrorists before infiltrating into the Indian territory.
Markaz Abbas: The markaz is located in Mohalla Roli Dhara Bypass Road in Kotli, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. While the building can accommodate around 100-125 members, 40–50 JeM cadres are always present within the premises of the markaz. Hafiz Abdul Shakoor, alias Qari Zarrar, is the head of this Markaz. Shakoor is one of the founding members of JeM and part of the Harkat-ul-Mujahideen (HuM) terrorists who had left HuM and founded JeM along with Maulana Masood Azhar.
Maskar Raheel Shahid: The Hizbul-Mujahideen camp is located in Kotli District of PoK and is one of the oldest facilities of the terrorist group. The secluded facility is located in hilly area and is only accessible using a kuchcha track. As per reports, around 25–30 terrorists are usually present at the facility.
Shawai Nallah Camp: The Shawai Nallah Camp is one of the most important camps of LeT and has been functioning since the early 2000s, being used for recruitment, registration and training of LeT cadres. The camp is located near Chelabandi bridge on Muzaffarabad-Neelum Road in PoK and includes a firing range, training ground, LeT Madrassa for cadres, and around 40 rooms.
Syedna Bilal Markaz: The centre is one of the main centres of JeM in PoK and located opposite to the Red Fort in Muzaffarabad. The facility is used as a transit camp for JeM terrorists prior to their launching into J&K.
india