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A person associated with the Pakistan-based terrorist organization Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) has claimed that more than 30 terrorists from the organization have been killed in the last three to four years. This claim comes at a time when several terrorists have been killed by unidentified assailants in Pakistan in recent years. Pakistan has repeatedly accused India of such attacks, while India has consistently denied these allegations.

This claim was made by Rizwan Hanif, a member of Lashkar-e-Taiba, in a video message. The video was reportedly recorded in May but is now rapidly going viral on social media. In his address, Hanif said that members of the organization were targeted in several cities across Pakistan.

What did Rizwan Hanif claim?

Addressing his supporters, Rizwan Hanif said that more than 30 members of Lashkar-e-Taiba have been killed in the last three to four years. According to him, individuals associated with the organization were targeted in cities like Peshawar, Karachi, Rawalpindi, Muzaffarabad, and Rawalakot.

Hanif alleged that Indian intelligence agencies were behind these killings. He claimed that Indian agencies carried out these attacks through so-called “unknown gunman models.” According to the report, Hanif’s statement is considered significant because it represents a public admission by someone associated with Lashkar-e-Taiba of the losses the organization has suffered in recent years.

Who is Rizwan Hanif?

According to security agencies and various intelligence reports, Rizwan Hanif is considered one of the senior commanders of the terrorist organization Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), active in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). He is also described as the organization’s alleged deputy chief. He is believed to play a key role in the operations, coordination, and expansion of Lashkar’s network from PoK.

What is Rizwan’s role in the organization?

According to reports, Rizwan Hanif is also linked to the People’s Anti-Fascist Front (PAFF), an alleged front organization of Lashkar-e-Taiba, where he is described as a joint coordinator. According to security agencies, this organization has been under the surveillance of investigative agencies for a long time due to its involvement in several terrorist incidents.

Intelligence sources say that Rizwan Hanif’s primary responsibilities include recruiting new youth for the organization and providing them with terrorist training. Security agencies claim that he prepares new cadres and assigns them various operational responsibilities. Reports also claim that he recruited Hamza Afghani, also known as Tahir, into Lashkar-e-Taiba. Hamza Afghani has also been linked to a terrorist network operating in Jammu and Kashmir.

How is he active against India?

According to security agencies, Rizwan Hanif also allegedly plays a role in planning and coordinating terrorist infiltration plans into India. He is considered one of the key figures providing resources, training, and logistical support for cross-border terrorist activities.

Intelligence reports also state that he oversees terrorist training camps in the Rawalakot and Kotli areas of PoK. These camps allegedly provide various types of training to terrorists. Furthermore, reports have linked his name to Lashkar-e-Taiba’s alleged maritime training program. It is claimed that this program trains youth to conduct operations through waterways and use sea routes. Security agencies believe such training may be part of preparations for future sea-based infiltration and terrorist activities.

Rizwan Hanif also came into the news in January of this year when reports emerged of a mysterious fire at his house in PoK. According to reports, his wife and daughter were killed in the incident, while he himself survived. It was reported that investigations were conducted at various levels, and several details emerged. Indian security agencies also confirmed the details.

How did Lashkar-e-Taiba originate?

Lashkar-e-Taiba was founded in Pakistan in the late 1980s by Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, Zafar Iqbal, and Abdullah Azzam. The organization was the militant wing of the Islamist organization Markaz-ud-Dawa-wal-Irshad, which was founded during the Soviet-Afghan War. After the Soviet army withdrew from Afghanistan, the organization shifted its focus to Jammu and Kashmir.

India, the United States, the United Nations, and several other countries have designated Lashkar-e-Taiba a terrorist organization. India and several Western countries have long alleged that the group receives support from Pakistan’s intelligence agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), a charge Pakistan denies.