On the night of May 6-7, 2025, India launched missiles at nine sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-controlled Azad Kashmir.
These sites are mosques and madrassas (Islamic religious seminaries) that double as training centers, residences, and hideouts used by Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HuM), and other jihadi terror organizations.
Left to Right: Maulana Masood Azhar, Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, Syed Salahuddin
JeM is headed by Maulana Masood Azhar, who was among three terror commanders freed by India in 1999 in exchange for the Indian Airlines Flight 814 hijacked from Kathmandu to Kandahar. LeT is headed by Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, who is supposed to be in prison but lives under house arrest, protected by Pakistani intelligence. HuM is headed by Syed Salahuddin aka Mohammad Yusuf Shah, who is also the leader of United Jihad Council, a network of anti-India jihadi organizations in Pakistan.
Indian media published photos of these nine major centers used by these jihadi organizations from before they were attacked. Following are the details and photos from Indian media sources, mainly an NDTV report, that detail the sites.
1. Center Subhan Allah, JeM, Bahawalpur, Punjab Province
Spread over 15 acres, Center Subhan Allah is on the outskirts of Bahawalpur and serves as the main center of JeM for training and indoctrination in jihad. “JeM conducts regular arms, physical and religious training for terrorists at Center Subhan Allah. JeM terrorists such as Mufti Abdul Rauf Asghar and other brothers of Masood Azhar and his brother-in-law, Yusuf Azhar alias Ustad Ghouri, head of JeM’s armed wing, live at this center,” says an NDTV report.
2. Center Taiba, LeT, Muridke, Lahore, Punjab Province
LeT means Army of Medina. Under international pressure in recent years, LeT has also sought to rebrand itself as Jamaatud Dawa and later as Falah-i-Insaniat Foundation, posing as a charity. Center Taiba serves as the headquarters of LeT situated in Nangal Sahdan, Muridke, on the outskirts of Lahore city. It is a large complex containing a mosque and residences. LeT founder Hafiz Muhammad Saeed is wanted by India for the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.
3. Sarjal/Tehra Kalan facility, JeM, Shakargarh, Narowal District, Punjab Province
Situated in Narowal district of Punjab province, Tehra Kalan aka Sarjal facility doubles as a health center and training ground for jihadi fighters. It is the main launching site of JeM fighters seeking to infiltrate Jammu and Kashmir. “This JeM facility holds special prominence due to its close proximity (6 km) to the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir’s Samba sector. It serves as a base for digging cross-border tunnels to send terrorists to India. The ISI and JeM developed a network of tunnels at Shakargarh, which they use for sending terrorists to India,” NDTV reported.
4. Mehmoona Joya Facility, HuM, Head Marala, Sialkot, Punjab Province
This center is one of the terror facilities used by HuM. Mehmoona Joya Facility is situated near Kotli Bhutta Government Hospital in Head Marala area of Sialkot district in Punjab province. According to an NDTV report, this center is used to send HuM terrorists into Jammu region of Jammu & Kashmir. “They are trained in handling weapons here. Mohd. Irfan Khan alias Irfan Tanda is the chief of this HM facility. Irfan Tanda has been involved in carrying out several attacks in the Jammu region,” the report said, adding that Atta Al Rehman Al-Fezey alias Abu Lala and Maaz Bhai are among the other HuM terrorists who operate from the facility.
5. Center Ahle Hadith Barnala, LeT, Bhimber District, Pakistan-Controlled Azad Kashmir
Situated on the outskirts of the town of Barnala on Kote Jamel Road in Bhimber district of Pakistan-controlled Azad Kashmir, Center Ahle Hadith is used to send LeT terrorists, arms, and ammunition into the Poonch-Rajouri-Reasi sector of Jammu and Kashmir. An NDTV report notes: “Center Ahle Hadith can accommodate 100-150 terrorists; 40-50 terrorists are usually present at this center, supervising terror activities being organised from here. This center is used as a staging center for LeT terrorists before they infiltrate Indian territory. LeT terrorists Qasim Gujjar alias Mahrore, Qasim Khanda, and Anas Jarar operate from this center and live in its vicinity. Khubaib alias Mohd Amin Butt visits the center regularly. Qasim Gujjar and Khubaib have been designated under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, or UAPA, of India.”
6. Center Abbas Mosque, JeM, Kotli, Pakistan-Controlled Azad Kashmir
Situated about two kilometers south-east of Kotli Military Camp in Pakistan-controlled Azad Kashmir, Center Saidna Hazrat Abbas Bin Abdul Mutalib (Center Abbas) is used by JeM. “The building can accommodate 100-125 JeM terrorists and 40-50 JeM terrorists are always present on the premises at any point of time. Hafiz Abdul Shakoor alias Qari Zarrar is the head of this center. Qari Zarrar is a Shura member of the JeM council, and is one of the founding members of JeM and part of the Harkat-ul-Mujahideen terrorists who left Hizb-ul-Mujahideen and founded JeM along with Maulana Masood Azhar,” according to the NDTV report.
7. Maskar Raheel Shahid Training Center, Hizbul-Mujahideen, Kotli, Pakistan-Controlled Azad Kashmir
This site is 2.5 km from Mahuli Puli (a bridge on Mahuli Nalla on Mirpur-Kotli Road) in Kotli district, Pakistan-controlled Azad Kashmir. “Maskar Rahil Shahid is one of the oldest facilities of Hizbul Mujahideen (HuM). It is a secluded facility and accessible only via a dirt track. The camp is located in a hilly area and comprises barracks, four rooms being used for keeping arms and ammunition, office and living quarters for terrorists. A new facility to accommodate more terrorists and instructors has been constructed on this campus,” the report noted.
Hizb-ul-Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin used to himself welcome newly recruited terrorists at this facility and supervise training activities, the report said, adding that the camp is being supervised by Abu Maaz and Abdul Rehman to train Hizb-ul-Mujahideen terrorists.
8. Shawai Nallah Camp, LeT, Muzaffarabad, Pakistan-Controlled Azad Kashmir
Shawai Nallah Camp in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistani Kashmir, is a major training center used by LeT “for recruitment, registration, and training of LeT terrorists. This camp has been functional since early 2000,” according to the report.
9. Syedna Bilal Center, JeM, Muzaffarabad, Pakistan-Controlled Azad Kashmir
Situated opposite the Red Fort in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistani Kashmir, Syedna Bilal Center is a mosque and training center used by JeM. “The JeM’s office and transit camp are located on a first floor adjacent to the building of Syedna Bilal Masjid. The mosque building consists of a three-story building; a Hijama [pressure cupping medical therapy] center is located on the ground floor. This facility is spread over 8-10 kanals and has family quarters, office building, and office of the Al-Rehmat Trust, the charity wing of JeM,” the report noted.
