Op Sindoor: Satellite images reveal damage to terror camps in Pakistan’s Bahawalpur, Muridke

Satellite imagery, released by Maxar Technologies and accessed by Reuters, has provided stark visual evidence of the destroyed terror infrastructure in Pakistan’s Bahawalpur and Muridke caused by India’s precision missile strikes, carried out under ‘Operation Sindoor’ in the early hours of Wednesday.

The strikes, targeting key strongholds of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), were launched in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed 26 lives, mostly tourists.

Before-and-after satellite images of the Jamia Masjid Subhan Allah in Bahawalpur, the operational headquarters of JeM, show significant damage.

Colonel Sofiya Qureshi of the Indian Army, during a press briefing on the operation on Wednesday, confirmed the destruction of the Markaz Subhanallah in Bahawalpur, located 100 km inside Pakistan, stating, “It was the headquarters of Jaish-e-Mohammed, targeted by Indian Armed Forces." Markaz Subhan Allah, Bahawalpur, operational since 2015, is the main centre of JeM for training and indoctrination and serves as the operational headquarters of JeM. It is associated with terrorist planning by JeM, including the Pulwama attack on February 14, 2019.

The Markaz consists of residences of JeM Chief Maulana Masood Azhar, de facto Chief of JeM Mufti Abdul Rauf Asghar, Maulana Ammar and other family members of Masood Azhar. Masood Azhar has made several addresses from this facility, extolling anti-India rhetoric and appealing to youth to join Islamic Jihad. JeM conducts regular arms, physical and religious training for its cadres at Markaz Subhan Allah.

Similarly, satellite imagery of Muridke, a hub of LeT, shows the aftermath of strikes on Markaz Taiba. Pre-strike images display a sprawling complex with multiple buildings, while post-strike visuals reveal extensive structural damage.

Markaz Taiba, Muridke, established in the year 2000, is the ‘alma mater’ and the most important training centre of LeT in Pakistan. The complex holds arms and physical training facilities, as well as dawa’h and radicalisation for terror entities, both from within Pakistan and abroad.

This Markaz enrols around 1000 students in different courses annually, highlighting the role of this Markaz in churning out terror entities for LeT annually.

Pointing to Markaz Taiba in Muridke, Colonel Qureshi, during the briefing, said that the complex was 18-25 km inside Pakistan and that “those involved in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks trained here, including Ajmal Kasab and David Headley".

Osama Bin Laden had financed Rs 10 million to construct a Mosque and Guest House within the complex.

Delhi