Pulwama Fidayeen 'Trained' By Afghan War Veteran, JeM Commander Who Infiltrated India With 15 Others

New Delhi: Two commanders of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed, Ghazi Rashid and Kamran, are believed to have masterminded the Pulwama attack, provided explosives and inputs that led to the death of 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel in Jammu and Kashmir's Lethpora area.

According to intelligence sources, nearly 15 JeM militants had infiltrated into the country via Poonch last month. Among them was Kamran, who had arrived with equipment and other explosives to allegedly train a local youth.

On the other hand, Rashid entered India two months ago through Kupwara. Sources said Rashid, 28, is an Afghan war veteran, who was trained by Pakistan Army's Special Service Group, which conducts cross-border operations and raids across the LoC. He has fought at Pakistan's North-West Frontier Province, they added.

The intelligence sources further said that Jaish could have asked the commanders to conduct an attack. However, the terror outfit wanted to prove that they could even use local Kashmiri youths to carry out deadly strikes.

Many youngsters in Kashmir had died last year soon after picking up guns. Among them were two nephews of JeM chief Masood Azhar – Talha, son of Azhar's sister, and Osman, son of Azhar's brother Ibrahim. Both of them were killed in southern Kashmir.

Sources said that the motive was to use a local boy in order to inspire more youths, dispirited by successful operations of the forces over last two years. And also, to introduce suicide bombing, which hasn't so far taken roots in three decades of conflict, as an appealing idea among youngsters of the Valley.

When News18 contacted Jammu and Kashmir police over the latest revelations, they denied involvement of people named Kamran and Ghazi Rashid. However, intelligence sources confirmed that the two had brought equipment to train 20-year-old Adil Ahmad Dar, who had rammed the car full of explosives into the security convoy.