Former Pakistan Army Commando Among Three Terrorists Identified For Poonch IAF Convoy Attack, Photographs Released

Photographs captured from CCTV footage have been released, depicting three terrorists believed to have attacked an Indian Air Force (IAF) convoy in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district last week.

The assault resulted in the death of Corporal Vikky Pahade and injuries to four of his colleagues as per a report by NDTV.

All three assailants reportedly utilised high-powered assault rifles, including United States-made M4s and Russian-made AK-47s. This attack marked the first major strike of the year in an area that witnessed several terror-related incidents targeting military installations and personnel last year.

The three terrorists have been identified as Illiyas, a former Pakistan Army commando, a Pakistani militant known as Hadoon (or Hadun), and Abu Hamza, the alias of the Lashkar-e-Taiba commander.

According to a sketch released by the J&K Police, Abu Hamza is described as a man aged 30-32, of medium build and fair complexion, with a trimmed haircut. He was last seen wearing a Pathani suit with a brown shawl and an orange bag. A reward of Rs 10 lakh has been announced for information leading to his arrest.

The attack on the IAF convoy on 4 May occurred amidst a series of terrorist strikes in the Poonch and Rajouri areas in recent weeks.

One such attack in the Shadra Sharief area of Rajouri resulted in the death of a 40-year-old government employee, Mohammad Razak, who was shot outside a mosque. The attackers utilised a United States-made M4 assault rifle and a pistol.

Razak's brother, a soldier in the Territorial Army, was present during the attack but managed to escape unhurt despite attempted abduction by the terrorists. Security officials suspect that Abu Hamza was involved in this attack as well.

Poonch falls within the Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary constituency, slated to vote in the sixth phase of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections on 25 May.

These incidents followed targeted attacks on two non-locals—a migrant worker from Bihar and an individual from Dehradun—in the Anantnag and Herpora areas of Shopian district.