In a significant development amid heightened security concerns following the recent terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, intelligence agencies have compiled a list of 14 local terrorists actively operating in the Union Territory.
According to sources, these individuals, aged between 20 and 40 years, are assisting foreign terrorists from Pakistan by providing logistical and ground-level support. The identified operatives are reportedly affiliated with three major Pakistan-backed terror outfits: Hizbul Mujahideen, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). Of the 14, three are associated with Hizbul Mujahideen, eight with LeT, and three with JeM.
The names of these individuals have been revealed as: Adil Rehman Dentoo (21), Asif Ahmed Sheikh (28), Ahsan Ahmed Sheikh (23), Haris Nazir (20), Aamir Nazir Wani (20), Yawar Ahmed Bhat, Asif Ahmed Khanday (24), Naseer Ahmed Wani (21), Shahid Ahmed Kutay (27), Aamir Ahmed Dar, Adnan Safi Dar, Zubair Ahmed Wani (39), Haroon Rashid Ganai (32), and Zakir Ahmed Ganie (29).
Adil Rehman Dentoo, who joined LeT in 2021, is presently working as the Sopore district commander of the banned outfit. Asif Ahmed Sheikh, a JeM terrorist, serves as the district commander of Awantipora and has been involved in terrorist activities since 2022. Ahsan Ahmed Sheikh is active in Pulwama as an LeT operative and has been involved in militant activities since 2023.
Haris Nazir, another Pulwama-based terrorist, has been active in LeT since 2023, while Aamir Nazir Wani is linked with JeM since 2024.
Yawar Ahmed Bhat is also operating actively in Pulwama and has been associated with JeM since 2024. Meanwhile, Asif Ahmed Khanday, from Shopian district, joined Hizbul Mujahideen in July 2015 and is currently aiding Pakistani terrorists.
Naseer Ahmed Wani has been actively involved in LeT-led activities in Shopian since 2019. Shahid Ahmed Kutay, another terrorist from Shopian, has been linked with LeT and its proxy group, The Resistance Front (TRF), since 2023.
Aamir Ahmed Dar, also active in Shopian since 2023, plays a major role in aiding foreign terrorists while working with LeT. Adnan Safi Dar, another operative from Shopian, is working jointly for LeT and TRF since 2024 and acts as a key conduit for transferring information from Pakistani handlers to local terrorists.
Zubair Ahmed Wani, also known as Abu Ubaida or Usman, is the Chief Operational Commander of Hizbul Mujahideen in Anantnag district. Categorised as an A+ active terrorist, he has been implicated multiple times in attacks on security forces since 2018.
Haroon Rashid Ganai, another active Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist from Anantnag, had travelled to Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) for training in 2018 and has reportedly returned to South Kashmir.
Zakir Ahmed Ganie, a major LeT terrorist from Kulgam district, has been continuously involved in attacks on security forces and targeted killings.
The identification of these local terror aides comes as agencies intensify efforts to dismantle the networks facilitating cross-border terrorism.
The April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 tourists were killed, including three Pakistani nationals, has reignited concerns over the growing nexus between foreign terrorists and local recruits.
Security forces have launched coordinated operations across South Kashmir, particularly in Anantnag and Pulwama districts, where many of these individuals are believed to be operating.
Senior officials suggest that these names are part of a broader intelligence dossier aimed at pre-empting further attacks and disrupting terror logistics in the region.
Agencies are also probing the links between these 14 individuals and the five terrorists who attacked the 26 tourists at the Baisaran meadow near Pahalgam around 2 PM on 22 April.
The release of this list follows the identification of five terrorists involved in the Pahalgam attack, including three Pakistani nationals. Authorities had earlier released sketches of the Pakistani terrorists Asif Fauji, Suleman Shah, and Abu Talha.
The other two Valley-based operatives were identified as Adil Guri and Ahsan. A bounty of ₹20 lakh has been announced for each of them.
Follow us
