On 22 April 2025, Pakistani terrorist launched a devastating attack in the Baisaran meadow near Pahalgam, Anantnag district, Jammu and Kashmir, resulting in the deaths of at least 26 individuals. The assault, one of the deadliest in the region since the 2019 Pulwama bombing, was claimed by The Resistance Front (TRF), a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) offshoot.
Between four and six armed militants, disguised in military-style clothing, emerged from a nearby forest and opened fire on a group of tourists enjoying the clear weather after days of rain. Survivors recounted that the attackers initially posed as security personnel, asking victims for their names and religious identity before launching a targeted assault.
Eyewitnesses reported that the militants singled out non-Muslims by demanding that individuals recite the Islamic kalma and checking for circumcision—those who failed were executed. Most of the victims were men. In a chilling account, a gunman reportedly spared a woman, telling her she was being left alive to “tell Prime Minister Modi what happened here.”
Graphic videos circulated online showed blood-soaked victims lying across the meadow, with terrified survivors pleading for help. Emergency responders quickly arrived, transporting the wounded to nearby hospitals, with some critically injured individuals airlifted to a military hospital in Srinagar.
The attack in Pahalgam bore striking similarities to tactics employed by Hamas, raising concerns about the potential involvement of transnational jihadist networks. The operation involved four militants—two Pakistani and two local—who were reportedly trained in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), where Hamas has established training modules within LeT and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) camps, supported by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
On 5 February 2025, Hamas leaders released by Israel visited Pakistan at the invitation of its government and were taken to PoK. A public rally held in Rawalakot featured prominent Hamas figures—Dr. Khalid Qaddoumi, Dr. Naji Zaheer, Mufti Azam, and Bilal Alsallat—sharing the stage with senior leaders of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), including Talha Saif (brother of Masood Azhar), Asghar Khan Kashmiri, and Masood Ilyas. The gathering, named “Kashmir Solidarity and Hamas Operation Al Aqsa Flood,” sought to draw a connection between the struggles in Kashmir and Palestine, urging pan-Islamic unity in opposition to both India and Israel.
Additionally, on 7 October 2024, Hamas leaders were taken to Dhaka by ISI to promote jihadist ideology in India’s northeast. The event was organized by Al Markazul Islami, a group with historical links to al-Qaeda through its founder Mufti Shahidul Islam, who had a long history in Islamist militancy. Attendees included top Hamas leaders and Pakistani Islamist figures.
Pahalgam Attack Mirrors Hamas Tactics:
•The attack in Pahalgam, involving four militants (two Pakistani, two local), resembled Hamas-style operations.
•All attackers were trained in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), where Hamas has reportedly established training modules within… pic.twitter.com/IKiDjDpoKt— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) April 26, 2025
These developments suggest a coordinated effort to export Hamas-style tactics to the Kashmir region, with support from Pakistan-based jihadist networks. The Pahalgam attack serves as a stark reminder of the evolving threat landscape and the need for heightened vigilance and counterterrorism measures.
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