Operation Sindoor: India carries out precision strikes on Pakistan, destroys 9 terror camps

Hyderabad: India carried out precision strikes, destroying 9 terrorist camps located in Pakistan’s Punjab and occupied Kashmir.

Codenamed Operation Sindoor, the strikes began at 2 AM when the country was asleep. Indian maintained a surprise element given the planned mock drill and IAF exercise.

Indian Air Force is said to have used the ‘ Scalp’ missile. The missile is a long range, air- launched cruises missile with a range exceeding 250 kilometers and designed for keep strike capabilities.

Operation Sindoor: 9 locations struck

Jaish-e-Mohammed:

1) Markaz Subhan Allah in Bahawalpur,

2) Sarjal at Tehra Kalan,

3) Markaz Abbas in Kotli,

4) Syedna Bilal camp in Muzaffarabad.

Lashkar-e-Taiba:

5) Markaz Taiba in Murdike,

6) Markaz Ahle Hadith in Barnala,

7) Shwawai Nalla camp in Muzaffarabad.

Hizbul Mujahideen:

8) Makaz Raheel Shahid in Kotli

9) Mehmoona Joya in Sialkot.

Among the targets hit in a precise operation were Markaz Subhan Allah at Bahawalpur, Sarjal at Tehra Kalan, Markaz Abbas in Kotli, and Syedna Bilal camp in Muzaffarabad (all of the banned Jaish-e-Mohammed terror group).

Markaz Taiba at Murdike, Markaz Ahle Hadith at Barnala and Shwawai Nalla camp at Muzaffarabad (all of banned Lashkar-e-Taiba) and Makaz Raheel Shahid in Kotli and Mehmoona Joya in Sialkot (camps and training centres of banned Hizbul Mujahideen were targeted.

Muridke (Lashkar-e-Taiba): Muridke hub of Lashkar-e-Taiba is located 40 km away from Lahore. The Muridke compound has long been identified as a critical infrastructure hub for Lashkar’s terrorist operations. It houses the administrative centers and training facilities of Lashkar-e-Taiba and its front organization, Jamaat-ud-Dawa. Murdike’s Markaz Taiba was established in 2000 and is the most important training centre of Lashar-e-Taiba located in Nangal Sahdan, Muridke, Sheikhupura, Punjab, Pakistan. The complex holds arms and physical training facilities and radicalisation and indoctrination for terror entities, both from within Pakistan and abroad.

Markaz Abbas in Kotli (Jaish-e-Mohammad): Markaz Saidna Hazrat Abbas bin Abdul Mutalib (Markaz Abbas) of Jaish-e-Muhammad is located in Mohalla Roli Dhara Bypass Road, Kotli, PoK. This markaz is located approximately 2 km south-east of Kotli Military Camp. This building can accommodate around 100-125 JeM cadres, and 40 to 50 JeM cadres are always present within the premises of this Markaz at any point in time. It also serves as the residence of Hafiz Abdul Shakoor alias Qari Zarrar — head of this markaz. Qari Zarrar is a Shura member of JeM Council and 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. He lives in a three-storey building located adjacent to Markaz Abbas.

Markaz Subhan Allah in Bahawalpur (Jaish-e-Mohammad): The Markaz Subhan Allah in Bahawalpur serves as the operational headquarters of JeM and is associated with terrorist planning, including the Pulwama attack on February 14, 2019. Perpetrators of the Pulwama attack were trained at this camp. It is located at NH-5 (Karachi Torkham Highway) on the outskirts of Bahawalpur at Karachi Mor, Bahawalpur, Punjab, Pakistan. It is located at an aerial distance of approximately 100.4 km from IB, opposite Khajuwala, Bikaner, Rajasthan. This is the main centre of JeM for training and indoctrination of youth, which is spread over a 15-acre area. This Markaz serves as the operational headquarters of JeM and is associated with terrorist planning, including the Pulwama attack on February 14, 2019. Perpetrators of the Pulwama attack were trained at this camp.

The Markaz also consists of residences of JeM Chief Maulana Masood Azhar, de facto Chief of JeM Mufti Abdul Rauf Asghar, Maulana Ammar, and other family members. Besides the residences of JeM functionaries, the complex also houses more than 600 cadres. Markaz Subhan Allah was built with the help of both the provincial and federal governments of Pakistan, apart from funds raised by JeM from some Gulf and African countries, including the UK. It has been operational since 2015.

On November 30, 2024, Maulana Masood Azhar addressed JeM cadres at Markaz Subhan Allah after a gap of two years. Anti-India rhetoric, including taking revenge for the Babri Masjid demolition, reiterated during the address, was raised by him. JeM Commanders associated with their Afghan operations also visit this Markaz for terrorist planning and meetings with senior JeM functionaries. Mufti Abdul Rauf Asghar (MARA) arranges for the consignments of weapons, including recently acquired M4 Rifles left by NATO forces in Afghanistan, through KPK-based smugglers from this facility.

Sarjal at Tehra Kalan (Jaish-e-Mohammad): Tehra Kalan at Sarjal is the main launching site of Jaish-e-Mohammad for infiltration of terrorists into Jammu and Kashmir. It is located in the Shakargarh Tehsil of Narowal District in Punjab, Pakistan. This facility is located inside the premises of a Primary Health Center in Tehra Kalan Village of the Sarjal area to conceal its real purpose. The terror backers, Pak ISI, have facilitated the setting up of such launch facilities along the International Border and Line-of-Control in government buildings to hide or conceal terror infrastructure.

This JeM facility holds special prominence due to its proximity of around 6 km from the International Border in the Samba sector of Jammu. This facility serves as the base for the digging of cross-border tunnels for the infiltration of terrorists. Pak ISI and JeM have developed a network of underground tunnels in the Shakargarh area, which is used for infiltration of JeM cadres into India. All the tunnels that have been dug across the IB in the Arnia-Jammu Sector are the handiwork of the handlers from this facility. Sarjal facility also serves as the launching base for drones by which arms/ammunition/narcotics and warlike stores are dropped into Indian territory. JeM has also been planning to use drones for infiltrating JeM terrorists into India, using drones. This facility, therefore, serves as an important terror base.

Maskar Raheel Shahid, Kotli, PoK (Hizbul-Mujahideen): Located approximately 2.5 km from Mahuli Puli (a bridge on Mahuli Nalla on Mirpur-Kotli road) in Kotli district of Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir, Maskar Rahil Shahid is one of the oldest facilities of Hizbul Mujahideen (HM). It is a secluded facility and accessible only via a kuchcha track. The camp is located in a hilly area and comprises barracks, four rooms being used for keeping arms and ammunition, an office, and for residential purposes for terrorists.

Markaz Ahle Hadith in Barnala, PoK (Lashkar-e-Taiba) : Markaz Ahle Hadith, Barnala is one of the important Markaz of Lashkar-e-Taiba in Pak-occupied-Kashmir and is used for infiltration of LeT terrorists and arms/ammunition into Poonch – Rajauri and Reasi sectors. 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 can accommodate 100-150 cadres, and around 40-50 cadres are usually present at this Markaz, supervising terror activities being organised from this Markaz. It is also utilized as a staging centre for LeT terrorists before infiltrating into Indian territory. LeT terror operatives Qasim Gujjar alias Mahrore, Qasim Khanda, Anas Jarar operate from this Markaz and reside in its vicinity. Khubaib alias Mohd Amin Butt also visits this Markaz regularly. Qasim Gujjar and Khubaib have been designated under the UA (P) Act by the Indian Government. Central LeT/JuD leaders also visit this Markaz for organizing and supervising terrorist activities of LeT, Jamaat-ud-Dawa, Jammu and Kashmir United Movement. Mehmoona Joya facility, Sialkot (Hizbul Mujahideen): The Mehmoona Joya facility is situated near Kotli Bhutta Government Hospital in the Head Marala area of Sialkot district of Punjab. Pak ISI has facilitated the setting up of such launch facilities along the International Border and Line of Control in Government buildings to hide and conceal terror infrastructure.

Shwawai Nalla camp in Muzaffarabad (Lashkar-e-Taiba) : The Shawai Nallah Camp is one of the most important camps of Lashkar-e-Taiba and is used for recruitment, registration and training of Lashkar cadres. This camp has been functional since early 2000.

The military strikes were carried out under ‘Operation Sindoor’ two weeks after the massacre of 26 people by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam.

The defence ministry said in a statement at 1.44 am, “A little while ago, the Indian armed forces launched ‘Operation Sindoor’, hitting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir from where terrorist attacks against India have been planned and directed.”

Home Minister Amit Shah said Operation Sindoor is Bharat’s response to the brutal killing of our innocent brothers in Pahalgam.

"The Modi government is resolved to give a befitting response to any attack on India and its people. Bharat remains firmly committed to eradicating terrorism from its roots," he said

Meanwhile, the Indian army said that during the night of 06-07 May 2025, Pakistan Army resorted to arbitrary firing, including Artillery shelling from posts across the Line of Control and IB opposite J&K. Three innocent civilians lost their lives in indiscriminate firing/shelling. The Indian Army is responding proportionately.

The Indian Army is likely to hold a press Conference at 10.30 AM today

This is a developing story.