Inside Pahalgam terror plot: Terrorists operated under code names, used army gear for deadly strike

In a chilling revelation, security agencies on Wednesday disclosed that the terrorists behind deadly Pahalgam attack that claimed lives of 28 tourists had masked their identities under the codenames Moosa, Yunus, and Asif during the deadly assault.

Asif Shaikh, Suleman Shah, and Abu Talha—all suspected operatives of The Resistance Front (TRF), a shadow outfit widely believed to be a proxy for the banned Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT).

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Sources in the security establishment confirmed the trio were no strangers to bloodshed, having previously orchestrated attacks in the volatile Poonch region. The deployment of aliases, a known tactic among terror operatives, is believed to be part of a broader strategy to sow confusion, elude tracking, and assume modular identities within the shadowy web of militant networks.

Sketches released

Authorities have released hand-drawn sketches of the attackers, based on the accounts of survivors. The black-and-white illustrations depict youthful, bearded men. A grainy image, now under forensic examination, shows a man sprinting with an AK-47—his profile eerily aligning with eyewitness descriptions.

The ambush unfolded at 1:30 pm on Tuesday amidst the idyllic Baisaran meadows near Pahalgam. Survivors recounted a spine-chilling moment when the assailants, clad in Indian Army uniforms, demanded victims reveal their religion and recite Islamic verses—moments before they opened fire.

In response, the Indian Army’s Chinar Corps confirmed: “A search operation is currently in progress, with all efforts focused on bringing the attackers to justice.”

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who swiftly visited the attack site, condemned the assault with stern resolve: “This attack was not just on tourists but on Kashmir’s peace and progress. The response will be decisive.”