Security agencies have confirmed that the three terrorists killed in the Dachigam forest encounter on July 28 were Pakistani nationals. Using biometric evidence from Pakistan’s National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), along with laminated voter slips and digital data from satellite phones, officials conclusively established their identities. These men, senior Lashkar-e-Taiba operatives, had been hiding in the Dachigam-Harwan forest since the deadly April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam’s Baisaran meadow, which killed 26 people. Authorities confirmed that no local individuals were involved in the attack.
The terrorists were identified as Suleman Shah (Faizal Jatt), the mastermind and lead shooter; Abu Hamza (Afghan), the second gunman; and Yasir (Jibran), the third shooter. Documents recovered from their bodies linked them to voter rolls in Lahore and Gujranwala. Investigators also found Pakistani-made items and used satellite phone data to track their movements and hideout. Ballistic and DNA analyses further tied them to the Pahalgam attack site.
Officials said the terrorists infiltrated India via the Gurez sector in May 2022, maintaining contact with handlers in Pakistan through satellite phones. Lashkar-e-Taiba commanders from Pakistan oversaw the operation. After the encounter, LeT leaders held funeral prayers in absentia for the militants in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, with footage now part of India’s official case file.
