Following India’s Operation Sindoor, which destroyed nine major terrorist hideouts across Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and mainland Pakistan, terrorist organisations Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) have shifted their operations deep into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), near the Afghan border. Intelligence sources indicate both groups are entrenching themselves in the province’s mountainous terrain to evade Indian surveillance and aerial strikes.

Operation Sindoor and the nine targeted facilities

On May 7, the Indian Air Force and Army executed precision strikes targeting terror infrastructure linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), JeM, and HM. The nine key facilities included:

  1. Markaz Subhanallah, Bahawalpur (Punjab): JeM headquarters tied to the 2019 Pulwama attack.
  2. Markaz Taiba, Muridke (Punjab): LeT’s ideological and military hub, linked to the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
  3. Sarjal/Tehra Kalan, Narowal District: JeM launch site for tunnel-building and drone operations.
  4. Mehmoona Joya, Sialkot: HM base for infiltration into Jammu, associated with past civilian attacks.
  5. Markaz Ahle Hadith, Barnala (PoJK): LeT staging ground for Poonch-Rajouri sector operations.
  6. Markaz Abbas, Kotli (PoJK): JeM base involved in the 2016 Nagrota Army camp attack.
  7. Maskar Raheel Shahid, Kotli (PoJK): HM camp providing BAT and sniper training.
  8. Shawai Nallah, Muzaffarabad (PoJK): LeT training camp with GPS, map-reading, and weapons instruction.
  9. Syedna Bilal Markaz, Muzaffarabad (PoJK): JeM transit facility linked to Indian fugitives.

The strikes have forced these groups to relocate westward into KPK, where dense mountains and porous borders offer greater concealment. Many hideouts date back to the Soviet-Afghan war and post-9/11 US invasion, making them resilient against airstrikes.

Recruitment and resurgence in KPK

On September 14, JeM held a religious event in Garhi Habibullah, Mansehra district, approximately 190 km from Islamabad, which intelligence sources say served as a recruitment drive. Masood Ilyas Kashmiri, JeM’s emir for KPK and Kashmir, praised Osama bin Laden and described KPK as a “stronghold of Mujahideen,” with Pakistani army personnel reportedly present among the crowd.

JeM plans a larger gathering in Peshawar on September 25 under the new name Al-Murabitun to evade international scrutiny. Meanwhile, HM has set up a training camp, HM 313, in Bandai, Lower Dir district. Construction began in 2024, with facilities for training in combat tactics and border action.

Rising terror incidents in KPK

KPK police report 605 terror incidents from January to August 2025, causing 138 civilian deaths and 352 injuries. Security forces suffered 79 fatalities and 130 injuries. August alone recorded 129 incidents, including six Pakistan Army and paramilitary personnel killed. The most affected districts were Bannu (42 attacks), North Waziristan (15), South Waziristan (14), and Dir (11).

Independent reports by the Islamabad-based Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies noted 78 attacks in June 2025, leaving 100 dead and 189 wounded, including 53 security personnel and 39 civilians.

Conclusion

Operation Sindoor disrupted established terror networks in PoK and Pakistan’s Punjab, but the relocation of JeM and HM to KPK demonstrates the adaptability of these organisations. The mountainous terrain and proximity to Afghanistan provide them a strategic advantage, underscoring the ongoing challenge for India and Pakistan in countering cross-border terrorism.