With the killings of 11 civilians in 14 days in Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan-sponsored proxy terror organisations are emerging as the biggest security threat. These proxies are frontal face of big Pakistan-based terror outfits such as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) in Kashmir.
Intelligence officials said unlike traditional working of terror outfits, proxies are the easiest and safest way of terror strategy adopted by Pakistan not only in India but also in Afghanistan.
Officials dealing with these proxies in Kashmir have told News 18 that it is the easiest and safest way to disturb law and order in the Valley.
Big terror hubs do not have to send terrorists or take the risk of infiltration. They also do not require the supply of heavy weaponry or intense training.
These proxies work with the local Kashmiri youth, use basic weapons such as pistols, require less or no risk of infiltration and online training sessions under the guidance of district commander to prepare them for attacks, a security official deployed in Kashmir told News18.
The local youths are being employed as they understand the surroundings well and have a strong network of on-ground workers, the official said.
Proxy outfit such as The Resistance Front (TRF) has taken the responsibility for shooting reputed pharmacist Makhan Lal Bindroo in Srinagar early October while United Liberation Front (ULF) is behind the killing of two Bihari labourers on October 17.
The PAFF has taken the responsibility of killing Indian Army men in an encounter, which is yet to be verified.
According to sources, various agencies have now started gathering details, movements of these terror proxies.
“It is very easy for Pakistan to fight through these proxies. Just give a small pistol which terrorists can hide in their clothing, give online training and use their local knowledge and network to execute an attack. LeT, JeM, HM Don’t need to give training, weapons or anything. Recruit from local villages and even if they get killed, it will be loss of local villages,” former IG (Central Reserved Police Force) MP Nathanael told News 18.
Nathanael further said these forces have been diverted from Afghanistan after successfully pushing proxies.
The Resistance Front (TRF)
TRF is the lesser-known but main proxy of Lashkar-e-Taiba headed by Mohammad Hafiz Saeed based in Pakistan.
According to the information with intelligence agencies shared with all 28 top intelligence and investigating agencies, TRF started operating in September 2019 and Hamza became its chief, who is from Pakistan.
Earlier, in Jammu and Kashmir, Irshad Ahmed Dar from Kakapora was TRF’s Kashmir chief and Abu Anas was its first district commander from Pulwama.
The two along with other terrorists joined the LeT in June 2019 and were made chiefs. But within a year, all three were eliminated in a gunfight with security forces in the Kakapora area of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district. According to the sources, Abbas Sheikh, one of the old terrorists, who joined LeT in 1996 and got arrested twice, was made the TRF chief. But security forces eliminated him as well on August 23, 2021.
United Liberation Front (ULF)
ULF is the proxy organisation of Al-Badr headed by Yusuf Baloch who also heads two other outfits based in Pakistan. The ULF, which took the responsibility of killing 11 civilians in Kashmir, was started by Al Badr commander Anjum Gulzar. It was initially used for propaganda but now have gained ground. Reports say Gulzar was arrested this August after a gunfight.
But intelligence agencies have learnt that another chief has been appointed by ULF’s Pakistan-based masters.
The outfit first started its campaign through Facebook and released It’s poster on the social media network. It also started its Telegram channel to lure youth to join the organization in December 2020. It has been learnt that ULF has recruited youths from Kashmir.
Lashkar-e-Mustafa
Lashkar-e-Mustafa, a proxy militant organisation of Jaish-e-Mohammed, was started by JeM’s Abu Ismail in October 2020. Hidayatullah Malik from Shopian was its first commander in Kashmir. The Jammu and Kashmir police arrested Malik in February 2021 with a huge cache of arms and ammunition. Later, the National Investigation Agency filed a charge sheet against him along with nine others this August.
People’s Anti-Fascist Front (PAFF)
Security forces have limited information that PAFF. Officials told News18 that it started in 2019 and till 2020 it was nothing but the media channel of TRF and LeT, created to confuse security forces. It was used by TRF and LeT terrorists in Pakistan to release statements and give online training to youths in Kashmir. PAFF came into the picture after it posted videos on social media sending messages to its cadre to target people in India. But on Monday, this organisation took responsibility of killing Indian Army men in Kashmir during an encounter.
Security forces, however, in last one week, have trapped four terrorists who belong to this group in Poonch. Also, NIA conducted raids to nab OGWs of PAFF. It was learnt that PAFF has been tasked to give support to other proxy outfits.
Kashmir Tigers
Kashmir Tigers is the proxy organisation of Hizbul Mujahideen headed by Pakistan-based terrorist Sayeed Salahuddin. Agencies have limited information about this terror outfit and its commander has also been recently recruited. This is the newest proxy outfit floated by Pakistan-based terror outfits.
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