Pahalgam terror attack mastermind among three terrorists killed near Srinagar, claim officials

The Army's elite para commandos on Monday, 28 July, claimed to have gunned down the alleged mastermind, and two of his associates, involved in the 22 April Pahalgam terror attack. Officials made this claim after an encounter in a forest area on the outskirts of Srinagar.

The officials said Sulieman alias Asif, the alleged mastermind, was killed after the security forces launched a surprise action, codenamed 'Operation Mahadev', after they decoded a technical signal indicating use of a satellite phone.

The other two have been identified as Jibran--alleged to be involved in the Sonamarg Tunnel attack in October 2024 in which seven people were killed--and Hamza Afghani.

Terrorists shot dead 26 people, all except one of whom were tourists, at Baisaran meadows in Pahalgam, which prompted the armed forces to launch Operation Sindoor on May 7 against the terror infrastructure in Pakistan.

Following Monday's encounter, additional reinforcements of the Army and other security forces have been rushed as intelligence inputs suggested the presence of another group of terrorists in the area, the officials said.

One M4 carbine rifle, two AK rifles and other munitions were recovered from the site of the encounter.

The bodies have been handed over to the local police, which helped in the identification process, for carrying out legal formalities and final rites as per the standard operating procedure.

The officials said that at around 11.30 a.m., one party comprising personnel from 24 Rashtriya Rifles and 4 Para unit had detected the group of three.

Inspector General of Police (Kashmir Zone) V.K. Birdi said it was a long-drawn operation which was going on till the last reports.

Earlier, Srinagar-based Chinar Corps in a post on X said three terrorists were killed under Operation Mahadev. "Three terrorists have been neutralised in an intense firefight. Operation Continues," the Chinar Corps of the Army said.