JeM, Hizbul Mujahideen shifting bases from PoK following Op Sindoor

Pakistan-based terror groups Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) have begun relocating their bases to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province from Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir in the wake of India's Operation Sindoor, sources in the defence and military establishment said on Friday.

The decision reflects a significant "tactical adaptation" by these groups, which now view Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) as vulnerable to Indian strikes, while KPK offers greater depth due to its proximity to the Afghan frontier, they said.

Under Operation Sindoor, India destroyed terrorism centres in Bahawalpur, Muridke, Muzaffarabad and several other places.

In response to the Pahalgam terror attack, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terrorist infrastructure in territories controlled by Pakistan.

 

The strikes triggered four days of intense clashes that ended with an understanding on stopping the military actions on May 10.

"The inputs indicate that this movement by the terror groups is being conducted with full awareness and direct facilitation of Pakistan's state structures," said one of the sources  The sources also cited holding of JeM gatherings in certain places in Pakistan recently under police protection and the "tacit involvement" of political-religious outfits like Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI).

These details are part of a dossier prepared jointly by several Indian security and intelligence agencies.

The most significant development uncovered occurred in Garhi Habibullah town of Mansehra district in KPK, where JeM staged a public recruitment drive roughly seven hours before the start of the India-Pakistan cricket match on September 14, the sources said.

The event was a coordinated mobilisation effort led jointly by JeM and JUI in the presence of Mulana Mufti Masood Ilyas Kashmiri, alias Abu Mohammad, a senior JeM leader for KPK and Kashmir, they said.

Ilyas Kashmiri is a high-value target wanted in India, and he is closely connected to JeM founder Maulana Masood Azhar.

His presence at a public rally guarded by both JeM cadres armed with M4 rifles and local police officers reflects the Pakistan state's support for JeM, the sources said.