A Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) commander allegedly involved in the planning of the 2019 Pulwama attack, which left 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) troopers dead, was among two terrorists killed in an exchange of fire with security forces on Saturday, the Jammu and Kashmir Police said.
The attack brought India and Pakistan on the verge of another war as it prompted New Delhi to launch an air strike on a JeM camp deep inside the Pakistani territory. The Pakistani air force carried out a retaliatory attack and captured an Indian pilot before releasing him days later.
Inspector general of police (Kashmir) Vijay Kumar identified the commander as Ismal Alvi alias Lamboo alias Adnan and said he was a relative of Masood Azhar, who founded JeM after his release from an Indian prison in exchange of passengers of a hijacked plane in 1999.
The National Investigation Agency last year charged Pakistan-based Azhar, his two brothers, nephew and 15 others for their role in the February 2019 attack. At least six of the 19 accused were earlier killed in counter-insurgency operations in Kashmir while many have been arrested. India in late February 2019 handed over to dossier to Pakistan with specific details of JeM complicity in the attack.
Kumar said Alvi was killed along with another unidentified JeM operative in the exchange of fire in Pulwama district triggered during a cordon and search operation in a forest. He added Alvi was involved in conspiracy and planning of Pulwama attack and stayed with Adil Dar, the suicide bombers who rammed his explosives laden car into a CRPF convoy, till the day of assault. He added Dar’s video on the attack also featured Alvi’s voice. “The Identification of the second terrorist is being ascertained,” said Kumar.
{{/usCountry}}Kumar said Alvi was killed along with another unidentified JeM operative in the exchange of fire in Pulwama district triggered during a cordon and search operation in a forest. He added Alvi was involved in conspiracy and planning of Pulwama attack and stayed with Adil Dar, the suicide bombers who rammed his explosives laden car into a CRPF convoy, till the day of assault. He added Dar’s video on the attack also featured Alvi’s voice. “The Identification of the second terrorist is being ascertained,” said Kumar.
{{/usCountry}}Jammu and Kashmir Police called the commander’s killing a big sucess and a setback to Jaish. The killing comes as security forces have intensified the counter-insurgency operations in the Valley.
At least 87 militants have been killed in Kashmir since January this year. They include top commanders of groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen.