Investigating agencies find three Pakistan nationals, two Kashmiris among 5 terrorists involved in Pahalgam terror attack

STC NEWS MONITORING DESK
SRINAGAR, APRIL 24 (STC): Ramping up the efforts to track down the perpetrators of the Pahalgam terror attack, five terrorists, including three Pakistani nationals and two residents of Jammu and Kashmir have been identified, who carried out the horrific attack.
According to the IANS report, the investigation agencies identified named three Pakistani nationals — Asif Fauji (code name Moosa), Suleman Shah (code name Yunus) and Abu Talha (code name Asif).
Two other Valley based operatives — Adil Guri, a local from Bijbehara in Anantnag who went to Pakistan in 2018, and Ahsan, a resident of Pulwama who also went to Pakistan in 2018 — were also identified, said the report.
Moosa is said to be also most likely involved in the May 2024 attack on an Indian Air Force (IAF) convoy in Poonch.
The report quoting investigators further states that the Kashmiri operatives recently infiltrated into India after getting years of training in Pakistan, but Fauji and Shah were operating in Jammu and Kashmir for some time and were involved in previous attacks as well, including in Poonch.
The terrorists involved in Tuesday’s attack in Pahalgam’s Baisaran meadow asked civilians, particularly men, to prove their religion by reciting Islamic prayers or showing physical markers such as circumcision, according to a preliminary investigation by central agencies based on survivors’ testimonies.
Notably, sketches of three suspects have already been released and authorities have announced a reward of Rs 20 lakh each for information on them.
Remarkably, a National Investigation Agency (NIA) team led by Inspector General Vijay Sakhare is stationed in Srinagar to conduct a thorough investigation.

Officials, as quoted by IANS in its report, have said that the federal anti-terror agency has already taken over the probe, with the J&K Police lending assistance.
The role of Saifullah Kasuri, one of the deputies of Lashkar-e-Toiba Chief Hafiz Saeed, is being investigated, officials added. (STC)