NEW DELHI: In a precise and intelligence-driven nighttime operation, India struck two high-value terrorist facilities in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) — Gulpur Camp and Maskar Raheel Shahid — both of which have been central to the planning, training, and execution of deadly attacks on Indian soil. These strikes are part of India’s latest counter-terror offensive, aimed at dismantling the very core of jihadist infrastructure without escalating to direct military confrontation with Pakistan’s regular armed forces.
Why Gulpur Camp Was Targeted
Located just 30 kilometers from the Line of Control (LoC), the Gulpur Camp in Kotli district has long been a forward operating base for Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists infiltrating into India’s Rajouri-Poonch sector. This region has witnessed a worrying uptick in terror strikes in recent years, many of which have been traced back to this very facility.
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April 20, 2023: An ambush in Poonch led to the martyrdom of five Indian Army jawans.
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June 9, 2024: Innocent pilgrims traveling in a bus were killed in a brutal attack, carried out by terrorists trained at Gulpur.
What elevated Gulpur’s strategic importance — and the urgency for its neutralization — was the confirmed involvement of Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, the 26/11 Mumbai attack mastermind. Intelligence inputs revealed that Lakhvi frequently visited the camp to indoctrinate and motivate recruits, making it not just a launchpad but also an ideological breeding ground for jihad.
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Maskar Raheel Shahid: Hizbul Mujahideen’s Shadow Fortress
Just 2.5 km off the Mirpur-Kotli road near Mahuli Puli, in a secluded forested area, lies the Maskar Raheel Shahid Camp, one of the oldest and most secretive strongholds of Hizbul Mujahideen (HM). This facility has functioned under the radar, shielded by thick vegetation and rough terrain, accessible only via an unpaved trail — a classic guerrilla setup.
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The camp accommodates 150–200 terrorists, with 25–30 always present for training and operations coordination.
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It specializes in BAT (Border Action Team) raids, sniping, high-altitude survival, and close-quarter ambush tactics.
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Abu Maaz and Abdul Rehman, senior HM trainers, currently supervise the camp’s activities.
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The camp has been under the direct supervision of Syed Salahuddin, HM chief and head of the United Jihad Council, who personally welcomed new recruits in the past.
Despite Salahuddin being designated a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by the U.S. in 2017 — and the HM being banned by both the U.S. and European Union — Pakistan continues to allow the group to operate freely in PoJK. The presence of fresh construction at the site suggests active expansion plans and growing manpower.
Why India Struck These Camps — and Not Pakistan’s Military
India’s air strikes on Gulpur and Maskar Raheel Shahid were surgical, deliberate, and entirely focused on anti-terror objectives:
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Neutralizing Imminent Threats: These sites weren’t just training camps — they were staging areas for actual infiltrations and terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir. Taking them out reduces operational capacity for LeT and HM.
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Avoiding War, Not Accountability: The Indian strikes steered clear of targeting Pakistani military installations to avoid war escalation. The objective was not to punish the state’s military directly, but to cripple the terror ecosystem it shelters.
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Global Legitimacy: By focusing on camps operated by UN-designated terrorist groups, India has remained well within the bounds of international law and self-defense, avoiding diplomatic backlash while sending a strong message to Islamabad.
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Night Strikes for Precision and Surprise: Conducting these operations at night ensures minimal civilian presence, maximum element of surprise, and high-impact neutralization of top terror operatives who often stay at these camps under heavy cover.
Counterterrorism, Not War
India’s continued precision strikes on terror infrastructure like Markaz Subhan Allah, Gulpur Camp, and Maskar Raheel Shahid are part of a calculated campaign to disrupt, dismantle, and deter cross-border terrorism. These are not acts of war, but legitimate, surgical acts of national defense against threats emanating from Pakistani soil and PoJK.
By eliminating these breeding grounds of terror while avoiding civilian and military casualties, India underscores its resolve: terror and its facilitators will be held accountable — no matter how deep they hide or how heavily they are shielded.
