Why It Was Targeted
On May 7, 2025, the Indian Air Force (IAF) struck the Barnala Camp during Operation Sindoor, a coordinated tri-service campaign aimed at crippling Pakistan-based terror infrastructure following the Pahalgam terror attack.
The Barnala facility was chosen because of its:
• Proximity to the LoC – Located just 9 km from the Line of Control Coordinates( 32°52’04″N 74º15’23″E ) in Bhimber, it functioned as a forward launchpad for infiltration.
• Specialized Training Role – Militants were trained in small arms, IED fabrication, and jungle-survival tactics, equipping them for guerrilla-style attacks in J&K.
• Staging Base – Served as a transit hub for cadres before being pushed into Poonch, Rajouri, and Reasi sectors.
• Capacity – Intelligence estimates suggest it could accommodate 40–150 operatives, with around 40–50 active at a time.
Historical Background
• Formal Identity – The camp was known as Markaz Ahle Hadith Barnala, a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) stronghold operating under religious cover.
• Origins in the 1990s – Established during that decade to exploit Bhimber’s rugged jungle terrain for guerrilla warfare training, it evolved into one of LeT’s most durable PoK camps.
Handlers & Command Structure
Open-source intelligence ties Barnala Camp directly to LeT’s operational network, though individual handlers are less publicly identified compared to camps like Gulpur (linked with Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi) or Abbas (tied to JeM figures like Qari Zarrar).
The camp’s role was more functional than symbolic—a mid-level training hub where recruits were conditioned and dispatched quickly across the LoC.
Terror Incidents Linked to Barnala Camp
Although specific cadre names rarely surface (due to LeT’s practice of deploying fighters under kunyas like Abu Qasim or Abu Talha), recruits trained at Barnala have been directly connected to:
• April 20, 2023 Poonch Ambush – Five Indian Army personnel were killed in a well-planned militant attack.
• June 9, 2024 Reasi Pilgrims Bus Attack – A LeT-backed assault on Hindu pilgrims left nine dead (including a child) and 41 injured.
These attacks highlight Barnala’s function as a pipeline for foot soldiers, even if it lacked the marquee leadership presence of other LeT camps.
Operation Sindoor: The Strike
Operation Sindoor was executed between 1:05 AM and 1:30 AM on May 7, 2025, using precision-guided munitions such as SCALP missiles and HAMMER bombs. The IAF targeted nine camps, including Barnala, with careful calibration to ensure:
• Maximum damage to terror infrastructure
• No collateral civilian or Pakistani military casualties
This underscored India’s precision-strike doctrine, punishing terror networks while maintaining strategic restraint.
Conclusion
The Barnala Camp may not have been associated with high-profile handlers, but it played a vital role in Lashkar-e-Taiba’s operational chain—training, staging, and pushing infiltrators into J&K. Its connection to deadly incidents like the 2023 Poonch ambush and the 2024 Reasi attack cemented its position as a legitimate and high-value target.
By neutralizing Barnala during Operation Sindoor, India dealt a significant blow to the mid-level machinery that sustained cross-border terrorism, choking the steady flow of militants into Jammu & Kashmir.