Latest news with #ex-SSG
Time of India
12 hours ago
- Time of India
Pahalgam massacre: 3 Pakistani terrorists carried out attack, one was ex-Pak Army commando, NIA sources say
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) in a major breakthrough has arrested two men for harbouring the terrorists who had carried out the April 22 Pahalgam attack that killed 26 tourists and grievously injured 16 others. The NIA has apprehended two Pahalgam residents for allegedly harboring three LeT terrorists involved in the April 22 attack that killed 26 civilians. Parvaiz Ahmad Jothar and Bashir Ahmad Jothar are accused of providing crucial support to the Pakistani attackers, including a former SSG commando, before the massacre. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads One of the attackers was an ex-SSG commando: Report Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads NIA probes Pakistan links, arrests locals under UAPA The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested two residents of Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir , for sheltering three Pakistani terrorists from the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) who carried out the brutal attack in Pahalgam on April 22, killing 26 civilians, including 25 to a report by ToI, the arrests mark a significant breakthrough in the probe into one of the deadliest civilian-targeted terror attacks in Kashmir in recent arrested individuals — Parvaiz Ahmad Jothar of Batkote and Bashir Ahmad Jothar of Hill Park, Pahalgam — allegedly provided food, shelter, and logistical support to the attackers at a temporary hutment, or dhok, in the Hill Park area before the disclosures made during their initial questioning have confirmed that the attackers were Pakistani nationals affiliated to the proscribed terror group of the three attackers has been identified as Hashim Musa alias Sulaiman, reportedly a former para commando from Pakistan Army's elite Special Services Group (SSG).Musa had been operating in Kashmir for a few months before the Pahalgam massacre , and had also participated in two coordinated attacks in October 2024 — one in Gagangir, Ganderbal, where six non-locals and a local doctor were killed, and another in Buta Pathri, which resulted in the deaths of two Indian Army personnel and two was believed to have been "loaned" by the SSG to LeT for targeted strikes on non-locals and security forces in Kashmir, according to the with him, J&K Police had earlier circulated sketches of two other terrorists: Ali Bhai, a Pakistani national, and Adil Hussain Thoker, a local trained in Pakistan, based on eyewitness accounts.A reward of Rs 20 lakh had been announced for information on arrests of Parvaiz and Bashir were made following what sources described as a combination of witness statements and 'technical analysis.'Around 15 overground workers had reportedly been in contact with the attackers or were partially aware of the conspiracy. Investigators also found that the attackers had used Chinese apps, such as Ultra, to communicate with LeT handlers across the two accused do not have any prior police record and have been booked under Section 19 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, NIA plans to produce them in a special court in Jammu for custodial interrogation, which is expected to yield further insights into the conspiracy and the extent of cross-border attackers themselves are still suspected to be hiding in the dense forest belt around the Tral-Kulgam-Anantnag tri-junction, according to NIA sources quoted by ToI.
India Today
24-05-2025
- Politics
- India Today
In a first, J&K special forces train in jungle warfare after Pahalgam attack
In a first-of-its-kind move, the Jammu and Kashmir Police has begun training its Special Operations Group (SOG) personnel in jungle warfare, a step aimed at combating increasingly dangerous and terrain-savvy terrorists operating in the Union Territory's mountainous in the 1990s, the SOG is a specialised wing of the Jammu & Kashmir jungle warfare training decision follows the dastardly attack in Pahalgam's Baisaran Valley on April 22, where terrorists used dense forest cover to launch a terror attack, killing 26 people. The incident forced security forces to re-evaluate their preparedness for such guerrilla According to top officials, the lack of actionable intelligence and the challenging terrain were key takeaways from the attack, prompting the need for specialised jungle warfare charge of this shift is DGP Nalin Prabhat, a 1992 batch IPS officer from the Andhra Pradesh cadre, who assumed office in October 2023. Known for his past role as commander of the elite anti-Naxal Greyhounds, Prabhat has directed that SOG units undergo intensive training in jungle and high-altitude warfare."The more you sweat in training, the less you bleed in battle," a senior officer said, highlighting the seriousness of the ongoing tactical TRAININGSOG units are being trained at multiple locations. Some batches have already undergone intensive training, while others are being prepared for advanced modules. Training partnerships include sessions with Greyhounds in Telangana and at the Jungle Warfare School. Regional training camps include the White Knight Corps base in Talwara and Corps Battle Schools (CBS) in these centres, SOG personnel, usually in teams of 30–50, are trained to move undetected, survive in hostile conditions for days, and navigate dense forests while tracking FOR TERRAIN MASTERYAfter the Pahalgam attack, SOG personnel launched a follow-up operation in Shopian's Keller Forest and neutralised three terrorists after hours of pursuit. The operation was hailed not just for eliminating threats, but for demonstrating improved terrain mastery and relentless pursuit under difficult jungle warfare is not just about combat. Intelligence, particularly HUMINT (human intelligence), is now at the core of SOG strategy. Officials say the absence of local intel in Pahalgam was a turning point. Since then, training has emphasized the cultivation of informant networks in remote regions - where trust can matter more than THREAT OF INFILTRATIONThere's growing concern about Pakistan-backed terrorists slipping through the Line of Control. Some of these operatives are reportedly ex-SSG or Para Commandos, like Pahalgam attacker Hashim Musa. A senior JKP official revealed that around 4,000 SOG personnel are actively involved in joint operations with the Army, and that jungle warfare skills will give them a tactical edge."While intelligence has long been JKP's strength, jungle warfare training is what will help us match the enemy's terrain advantage," said a former top police past two years have seen a rise in attacks in the Jammu division, particularly Poonch and Rajouri. In response, small SOG teams of 4–5 members have been regularly patrolling deep forests, occupying heights and setting up pickets to increase the likelihood of direct encounters. This proactive approach has helped reduce attacks in recent WARFARE ADAPTATIONWhen the battlefield moves from forest to village, SOG units shift tactics to Cordon and Search Operations (CASO). Operations in Shopian and Anantnag have focused on precision, crowd control and minimising civilian harm. Insights from decorated officers like Colonel Vikrant Prasher of 10 Para SF, experts in forest and high-altitude warfare, are now being incorporated into the SOG's evolving LIES AHEADFormer Army Chief Gen (Retd) VP Malik highlighted the importance of terrain familiarity and human intelligence. Commenting on Operation Sindoor, he said how a combined strategy of surveillance, military operations and diplomatic engagement - similar to India's response after Kargil - remains the annual Amarnath Yatra approaching in June-end, the need for heightened vigilance remains. As security forces anticipate fresh infiltration attempts, jungle warfare-trained SOG units will form a key part of the counter-terror strategy going Watch
