SRINAGAR : Abu Qatal Sindhi, a self-proclaimed senior operative of the Pakistan-based terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), was fatally shot by unidentified gunmen in the Jhelum region of Pakistan.
Sindhi was a key figure at the Khuiratta launch site in Kotli district, an area under Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, which served as a major operational hub for LeT’s activities. Under his leadership, the camp orchestrated multiple cross-border strikes in India’s Rajouri-Poonch region.
According to intelligence sources, Sindhi played a crucial role in infiltrating LeT operatives into Jammu & Kashmir and was actively involved in coordinating arms and ammunition deliveries via drones. Reports indicate that he first infiltrated the Jammu region in the early 2000s before retreating to Pakistan in 2005. During his time in Poonch and Rajouri, he built an extensive underground network, which he later reactivated to sustain terror activities.
Sindhi was regarded as one of the top commanders within LeT and was trusted by its senior leadership, including Hafiz Saeed. He was responsible for managing a key LeT training facility in Kotli and reported directly to Rawalpindi-based terrorist handler Sajid Jutt. He also acted as the primary link between LeT operatives in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and terrorist networks in Sindh province.
On Saturday evening, Sindhi was traveling in a vehicle with his armed guard when assailants on motorcycles ambushed them at a traffic stop. The attackers opened fire, killing Sindhi on the spot, while his guard sustained critical injuries and later died in the hospital.
Rumors surfaced online suggesting that Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed had also been assassinated in a similar manner. However, intelligence sources dismissed these claims, confirming that only Sindhi was targeted.
Sindhi’s name had repeatedly surfaced in investigations into major terror incidents in Jammu & Kashmir. He was linked to the Bhatta Durian attack on an Indian Army vehicle in April 2023 through the arrest of an accomplice named Nisar from Surankote, Poonch. He was also charged by India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) in multiple cases, including the deadly New Year’s Day assault in Dhangri, Rajouri, which left seven civilians dead.
Additionally, Indian security agencies suspect that Sindhi masterminded the Reasi bus attack on June 9, 2024, which coincided with the swearing-in of India’s new government. This attack resulted in the deaths of nine pilgrims and left 41 others injured. He was also accused in the Kandi ambush on May 5, 2023, where special forces personnel were targeted.
Sindhi’s associates, Riyaz Ahmed, also known as Abu Qasim, and Hanzla Adnan, were similarly eliminated in separate attacks in Pakistan in September and December 2023, respectively.
The killing of Abu Qatal Sindhi, a top operative of the Pakistan-based terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), marks a severe setback to the group’s activities.
Sindhi played a crucial role beyond direct attacks—he was responsible for recruiting and deploying terrorists, with a focus on targeting civilians from minority groups and security forces in Jammu and Kashmir. He was also key in establishing front organizations like the People’s Anti-Fascist Force (PAFF) and The Resistance Force (TRF), which allowed LeT and Jaish-e-Mohammed to conduct attacks while maintaining deniability.
His elimination is expected to disrupt LeT’s leadership structure, hinder its coordination of future attacks, and significantly slow down its recruitment and cross-border infiltration operations.
