Security agencies have traced the origin of the recent Pahalgam attack to a militant group that entered India through Dehra Ki Gali (DKG) in Poonch. According to the investigation, the group has been operating in the region since late 2022 or early 2023, initially carrying out attacks in the dense and hilly terrain of Jammu before shifting operations to Kashmir in the latter half of 2024.

The group’s first confirmed attack took place on December 21, 2023, in the Bufliaz area of Surankote, where four Indian Army soldiers were killed in an ambush at DKG. Their involvement was later confirmed in a second attack in May 2024, when they targeted an Indian Air Force convoy at Bakrabal Mohalla near Sanai, also in Surankote.

After operating in the forests of Poonch for months, intelligence suggests the group used the DKG-Bufliaz route again to enter Kashmir around August or September 2024.

Once in Budgam, the group reportedly divided into two smaller teams. One moved towards Gulmarg, while the other headed to Sonmarg. On October 20, local militant Junaid, along with a Pakistani accomplice, carried out a shooting targeting non-local workers in Sonmarg.

Six days later, on October 26, another team launched an attack on Indian Army trucks in Gulmarg.

A major breakthrough came during a counter-insurgency operation in Harwan, Srinagar, where Junaid was neutralised. His Pakistani partner, however, managed to escape. The operation continued for over two weeks to locate other group members.

Images retrieved from Junaid’s phone linked him and his group to previous attacks in Poonch, confirming their cross-regional involvement.

Investigations now share that the two split groups regrouped before executing the Pahalgam attack, indicating a coordinated and well-planned operation. During the post-attack probe, security forces detected suspicious communication signals from Hapatnar, Tral, and DH Pora, pointing to a wider area of movement and possible hideouts.

Officials believe these signals could have been a tactic to mislead search teams in the thick forest zones.

One of the key findings from the investigation was the group's exclusive use of mountain paths to move across regions. This allowed them to stay out of sight and avoid road surveillance, making it harder for forces to track them. The rugged, connected mountain ranges offered them natural cover for movement and regrouping.

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