The revenge for the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir, was served scorching hot as the Indian Army showcased its might to Pakistan. In a meticulously coordinated move, Indian Armed Forces launched a series of assaults on nearly a dozen locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, with a missile offensive that outstripped Pakistan's wildest nightmares. Following this operation, the atmosphere is charged, with Pakistan crying foul globally, while the Indian Army stands resolute against every maneuver.
As the dust settles, detailed insights into the targeted locations are emerging. Through a piercing clarity offered by a recent Indian Army press conference, we delve into one significant target demolished during Operation Sindoor—unraveling a covert nest of conspiracies against India, previously harbored at Syedna Bilal Markaz in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir's Muzaffarabad.
Why is Syed Bilal Markaz significant?
The Syed Bilal Markaz, a Jaish-e-Mohammed nerve center, stood towering near Muzaffarabad's iconic Red Fort, doubling as their operational office and a training camp. Positioned on the mosque's upper floor, this three-story complex was annihilated by a missile strike from the Indian Army. Not merely a training hub, it hosted family quarters and administrative offices. The Markaz was a bustling hive, housing 50-100 terrorists at any given time, trained by Pakistan Special Forces, prepping these hostile elements for infiltration into India to wreak havoc.
Source: aajtak
Which notorious terrorists were here?
This wasn't a minor outpost. It was the Jaish-e-Mohammed command center with Mufti Asghar Khan Kashmiri orchestrating activities in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Abundant with influence, Abdullah Jehadi and Ashiq Nengroo operated from this camp. Asghar Khan and Abdullah Jehadi were the masterminds behind the 2016 Nagrota attack. Asghar, closely allied with Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Maulana Masood Azhar, is among the most wanted terrorists in their ranks.
Even more infamous, Ashiq Nengroo was the elusive target post the 2019 Pulwama attack, where 40 CRPF soldiers tragically perished. Continuously smuggling arms and abetting terrorists, he stayed under the keen surveillance of Indian security forces, who were determined to cease his nefarious escapades. With many Jaish-e-Mohammed commanders springing from this markaz, it was a focal point rightly neutralized by the Indian Army.
Operation Sindoor: India's assertive retaliation
In an audacious act on 22 April at Pahalgam, terrorists claimed 26 innocent lives. Demands for stern retaliation against terrorists resonated, leading the Indian Army to execute Operation Sindoor. In the dead of night on 7-8 May, the Indian Army launched strikes on diverse terrorist havens in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. In total, nine targets were obliterated, bridging mainline Pakistan and PoK. This offensive rattled Pakistan, prompting border violations of ceasefire agreements.
