Photos of Slain Pahalgam Attackers Released
Indian authorities have released the first photographs of two of the three terrorists responsible for the April 22 Pahalgam attack. The images identify Habib Tahir and Jibran, both confirmed to be Pakistani nationals. They were killed alongside the attack's mastermind, top Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Hashim Musa, during a successful joint forces operation in Jammu and Kashmir.
A Chance Encounter and a Decisive Strike
According to sources, the encounter that neutralized the terrorists was not pre-planned but the result of a chance spotting. After a 14-day hunt in the Dachegam forest, personnel from the elite 4 Para unit identified the trio in a hideout. The terrorists were reportedly caught completely off-guard while napping inside a tent. The commandos acted swiftly, opening fire and eliminating all three on the spot. This brought a decisive end to the search that began with the detection of a lone satellite phone signal.
'Irrefutable Proof' Confirms Identity
Union Home Minister Amit Shah confirmed in Parliament that India possesses "irrefutable proof" of the terrorists' Pakistani origin. Evidence includes Pakistani voter ID numbers and even Pakistan-made chocolates recovered from their hideout. Crucially, forensic analysis confirmed that the weapons found—including a US-made M4 carbine and two AK-47s—were the same ones used in the Pahalgam massacre. The identification was further corroborated by local collaborators who had been previously arrested for providing food to the attackers.
