Pahalgam Attack: Where Are LeT’s Training Camps Near LoC & Can India Dismantle Them? Exclusive

Last Updated:April 23, 2025, 19:39 IST

The Resistance Front, a shadow outfit of Pakistan's Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), has claimed responsibility for Pahalgam attack. News18 gets exclusive details from intelligence sources

A security personnel keeps vigil, a day after a terrorist attack in Pahalgam. (Image: PTI/S Irfan)

As a shadow outfit of terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba has claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam terror attack in Kashmir on Tuesday, CNN-News18 accessed details of the LeT’s training camps and launch pads primarily located in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir (PoK).

The Resistance Front (TRF) claimed it carried out the attack in Kashmir which killed at least 26.

The camps and launch pads are run by Lashkar trainers under the guidance of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), said top intelligence sources.

TRAINING CAMPS

The LeT operates training camps primarily near the Line of Control (LoC). A look at the locations, according to top intelligence sources:

Non-Miran Shah (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) training camp: It is active since 1998. This area has many long-standing camps used for training militants from junior to senior level courses.Hyderabad, Sindh training camp: It is operational since 1993 and is linked to LeT’s infrastructure in southern Pakistan.Islamabad Airbase: It has a functional camp, located within a military facility, since 1990, thus indicating state involvement.Mansehra Forest and Khost: It is in remote forest areas and used for covert training activities.Mangla (Mirpur) and Head Maral (Sialkot): The aquatic training camps have been recently reactivated under Talha Saeed, son of LeT founder Hafiz Saeed. It focusses on water-based infiltration tacticsSwat Valley, Peshawar, and Quetta: These are recruitment hubs near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, leveraging tribal areas for new recruits.Muridke, Punjab: It is the headquarters of LeT, hosting ideological indoctrination and logistical planning.

LAUNCHING PADS NEAR LOC

Intelligence sources have also identified the launching pads:

Samba Region IB has four launch pads: Masroor Bada Bhai, Sukhmal, Chapral, Looni. They were identified in 2016 and are used by Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and LeT for cross-border infiltration.Rawalakot (Poonch District, PoJK) is a known staging ground for attacks, recently hosting joint events with Hamas and JeM.Nur-ul-Islam Border Outpost is used to drop off militants near the LoC.

INDIAN STRATEGIC CONSIDERATIONS: WHAT SOURCES SAY

Non-Miran Shah and Mansehra are remote locations ideal for surgical strikes, but require specific intelligence to avoid civilian casualties, said sources.

Muridke and Islamabad Airbase are politically sensitive due to proximity to urban centers and military infrastructure.

Aquatic camps (Mangla/Head Maral) are high value targets due to specialised training, but guarded by Pakistan’s security apparatus.

Strikes near LOC launch pads could disrupt infiltration.

CHALLENGES IN DISMANTLING

According to sources, these camps are frequently moved post-strikes as part of relocation strikes. The ISI and Pakistan Army’s alleged involvement in bunker construction and ceasefire violations to aid militants also prove to be a hindrance in dismantling, said sources. They added that strikes near urban centres such as Muridke could trigger diplomatic fallout.

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