Establishment and Evolution
The Sawai Nala Camp—also referred to as Shawai Nallah Camp and known by aliases such as Huzaifa Bin Yemen and Bait-ul-Mujahideen—has been operational since the late 1990s (around 1998–1999). It was established after Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) expanded its operations from Punjab into Jammu & Kashmir with the tacit approval of the Pakistani establishment.
By the early 2000s, Sawai Nala had become infamous among Indian intelligence agencies as a factory for indoctrination and guerrilla warfare training. Unlike smaller “launchpads” near the Line of Control (LoC), this was a large permanent camp capable of accommodating 200–250 cadres at a time.
Location and Structure
The camp is located near the Chelabandi Bridge on the Muzaffarabad–Neelum Road in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), about 30 km from the LoC coordinates (34°23’27″N 73°26’59″E). Nestled in hilly terrain, the facility enjoys natural cover, making detection and targeting difficult. Its surroundings, with dense forests and streams, allow for survival training and ambush simulations that mirror the terrain of Jammu & Kashmir.
The infrastructure includes:
• A firing range and training grounds
• A LeT madrassa for indoctrination
• Around 40 rooms for accommodation
• Residences for LeT commanders and instructors
The camp has historically served as a base camp for Daura-e-Aam training, which covers:
• Religious indoctrination and jihadist lectures
• Physical endurance and unarmed combat
• Tactical skills like GPS and map reading
• Weapons training, including rifles, grenades, and explosives
Role in Major Terror Attacks
Sawai Nala has trained some of the most notorious terrorists in LeT’s history:
• 26/11 Mumbai Attacks (2008): Ajmal Kasab and other attackers were trained here, with David Headley (the Pakistani-American scout for the attacks) also spending time at the facility.
• Sonmarg Attack (October 20, 2024): Also known as the Z-Morh tunnel attack, where six migrant workers and a doctor were killed in Ganderbal.
• Gulmarg Attack (October 24, 2024): Terrorists targeted an Army convoy, killing two soldiers and two porters.
• Pahalgam Attack (April 22, 2025): Claimed the lives of 26 civilians.
Indian intelligence agencies confirmed that the perpetrators of these attacks were trained and directed from Sawai Nala.
Pakistani Support and ISI Involvement
The camp has long benefited from Pakistani state support, particularly the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). Trainers from the Pakistani Army have been deployed to provide advanced weapons instruction to LeT cadres. Despite global pressure after 26/11, Sawai Nala was never dismantled; instead, it continued to operate under varying disguises such as madrassas or relief centers.
Why Sawai Nala Was Targeted on May 7
During the early hours of May 7, between 1:00–1:30 AM, the Indian Air Force struck nine terror camps across Pakistan and PoJK. Sawai Nala was chosen as a priority target because of:
1. Its historic role in training militants for high-profile attacks, including 26/11.
2. Its direct involvement in recent terror strikes at Sonmarg, Gulmarg, and Pahalgam.
3. Its capacity to host large batches of 200–250 militants at once.
4. Its strategic terrain, which allowed specialized training for infiltration into India.
Striking Sawai Nala was intended to cripple LeT’s recruitment, indoctrination, and training chain at its very foundation.
FATF and Financial Links
The Financial Action Task Force (FATF)—the global watchdog on terror financing—has never physically visited Sawai Nala or any other terror camp in PoJK. FATF does not conduct ground inspections of conflict zones; instead, it evaluates financial systems, money laundering, and terror-financing networks in official institutions such as Islamabad.
However, Sawai Nala repeatedly came under FATF’s indirect scrutiny:
• Between 2018–2022, Pakistan was grey-listed for failing to curb financing of groups like LeT and Jaish-e-Mohammed.
• Indian and US dossiers submitted to FATF identified fundraising arms of LeT—notably Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) and Falah-e-Insaniyat Foundation (FIF)—as key sources of funds for LeT training camps, including Sawai Nala.
• The UN 1267 Sanctions Committee and US Treasury reports also noted that LeT used camps in Muzaffarabad, sustained by donations funneled through these charity fronts.
A 2020 FATF review specifically highlighted Pakistan’s failure to act against terror financing linked to LeT. Although Sawai Nala was not named publicly, intelligence dossiers made clear that money raised in Punjab and Karachi was diverted to training camps in Muzaffarabad, with Sawai Nala as the central hub.
Conclusion
For over 25 years, Sawai Nala has served as the nerve centre of Lashkar-e-Taiba’s terror infrastructure, producing cadres responsible for some of the deadliest attacks on Indian soil. Despite international pressure, the camp operated with Pakistani state support, sustained by funds from JuD, FIF, and other LeT affiliates.
The strike on May 7 was not only a response to recent terror attacks but also a strategic decision to dismantle the historic breeding ground of jihadist militancy in PoJK. While FATF never set foot on its grounds, Sawai Nala was consistently implicated in financial investigations, making it both a physical and financial symbol of Pakistan’s failure to dismantle terror infrastructure.