Target 5 | Markaz Ahle Hadith, Barnala: LeT Forward Operating Base for Terror in Jammu

NEW DELHI: Nestled just 500 metres from Barnala town and 200 metres off Kote Jamel Road, the Markaz Ahle Hadith in Barnala may look like a modest religious establishment on the surface, but it serves as a strategic launchpad for terror operations orchestrated by Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). This facility is a key cog in Pakistan’s proxy war machinery and has become a staging ground for infiltrations into the Poonch-Rajauri-Reasi axis in Jammu & Kashmir.

 

Role in Cross-Border Terrorism

 

Markaz Ahle Hadith is not merely a shelter or religious institution—it is a fully functional forward operating base, aiding the infiltration of LeT terrorists and smuggling of arms/ammunition across the LoC. Typically, 40–50 LeT operatives remain stationed here, with the facility capable of housing up to 150 cadres.

From this hub, well-trained militants are funneled across the border, especially targeting the vulnerable districts of Rajouri, Poonch, and Reasi, where difficult terrain makes surveillance and control more challenging.

ALSO READ: Target 3 | Gulpur Camp and Maskar Raheel Shahid: Lashkar & Hizbul’s Covert Terror Launchpads in Kotli, PoJK

 

Terror Operatives Linked to the Markaz

 

Several LeT commanders and designated terrorists operate from this Markaz:

• Qasim Gujjar alias Mahrore

• Qasim Khanda

• Anas Jarar

• Khubaib alias Mohammad Amin Butt (frequent visitor)

Both Qasim Gujjar and Khubaib are designated under India’s Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

 

Direct Role in Civilian Massacres

 

This Markaz has blood on its hands—evidence confirms that two major terror strikes were planned and coordinated from this facility:

1. Dhangri Attack (January 1, 2023):

   • 7 civilians killed in Rajouri

   • Executed by Saifullah Sajid Jutt and Abu Qatal Sindhi

2. Reasi Attack (June 9, 2024):

   • 9 pilgrims killed in a targeted bus attack

   • Again masterminded by the same duo operating out of Barnala

   • Abu Qatal Sindhi was later killed in March 2025

These attacks underscore the growing threat LeT poses to civilian areas, with Markaz Ahle Hadith acting as the operational hub for these heinous crimes.

 

Strategic Visits & Coordination

 

The Barnala Markaz is not an isolated cell—it is deeply connected with the core of LeT and its front outfit Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD). Senior leaders from both LeT and JuD routinely visit the centre to:

• Supervise terror planning

• Oversee cadre indoctrination

• Coordinate with Jammu & Kashmir United Movement operatives

This makes Barnala an integral node in LeT’s terrorism network across the LoC.

 

Global Recognition of LeT’s Terror Role

LeT has been designated as a terrorist organization by several countries:

• UK (2001)

• USA (2001)

• India (2002)

• Australia (2003)
  LeT was also added to the UNSC 1267 Consolidated List after the 2008 Mumbai attacks, formally recognizing its global jihadist agenda and violent methodology.

India’s Counter-Terror Focus

As security agencies deepen their cross-border intelligence capabilities, Markaz Ahle Hadith in Barnala has now emerged as a high-priority target. With confirmed links to multiple civilian attacks and growing militant activity, it represents the dangerous fusion of radical ideology and operational capability.

The facility’s proximity to infiltration routes and its regular use as a launchpad for heavily armed cadres makes it a key enabler of destabilization in the Jammu region.