A recent field study has questioned the long-held claims of “mass graves” in north Kashmir. According to the research, over 90% of the 4,056 unmarked graves investigated belong to foreign and local militants, not civilians. The study was carried out by the Kashmir-based NGO, Save Youth Save Future Foundation (SYSFF), and is documented in a report titled “Unravelling the Truth: A Critical Study of Unmarked and Unidentified Graves in Kashmir Valley.”

The research team, including Wajahat Farooq Bhat, Zahid Sultan, Irshad Ahmed Bhat, Anika Nazir, Muddasir Ahmed Dar, and Shabir Ahmed, surveyed 373 graveyards across Baramulla, Kupwara, Bandipora in north Kashmir, and Ganderbal in central Kashmir. The work started in 2018 and concluded in 2024, using GPS tracking, photographs, interviews, and official records to ensure accurate and evidence-based documentation rather than relying on unverified reports.

Out of the total 4,056 graves, 2,493 (about 61.5%) were identified as belonging to foreign militants killed during counter-insurgency operations, while 1,208 (around 29.8%) were local militants. Only nine graves (0.2%) were confirmed as civilian. Also, the study recorded 70 graves of tribal invaders who died during the 1947 Kashmir war.

The findings suggest that claims of widespread civilian mass graves have been significantly overstated. SYSFF emphasised that rigorous investigation, including community engagement with local clerics, gravediggers, families, and former militants, was key to understanding the real situation.

The study also shows that the increase in burials between 1990 and 2000 was due to an influx of foreign terrorists after the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan. Groups like Hizbul Mujahideen, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Jaish-e Mohammad entered Kashmir, bringing weapons, funding, and radical ideologies, creating new security challenges.

SYSFF called on the international community to verify such claims before making policy decisions. They also urged Pakistan to recognise the foreign terrorists buried in Kashmir and allow families to visit graves, highlighting a humanitarian responsibility. According to Wajahat Farooq Bhat, the study provides a clear, evidence-based picture, contradicting claims of widespread civilian mass graves and showing that most unmarked graves are of terrorists, not ordinary citizens.