15 terror camps return in PoK in just 90 days: How ISI-backed groups are going smaller, smarter and deadlier

File Photo - Pakistani soldiers inspect the debris of a mosque after Indian strikes in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, on May 7, 2025.

Less than three months after the Indian armed forces launched precision strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and PoK under Operation Sindoor, Islamabad’s terror apparatus is already back in action. Far from being dismantled, militant networks are now regrouping, rebuilding their infrastructure, and rearming, with active support from the Pakistani Army and the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

An India Today report, quoting fresh intel inputs, claims that over 15 new terror camps and launchpads have cropped up across PoK in the last 90 days. These are not spontaneous underground rebuilds. Pakistan’s ISI and government-backed networks are actively aiding the reconstruction of terror infrastructure destroyed by Indian strikes, it adds.

Locations such as Kel, Shardi, Dudhniyal, Athmuqam, Jura, Lipa Valley, Tandapani, Nayyali, Jankot, and Chakothi have been identified as key areas where terror camps are being revived. Moreover, four launchpads along the International Border in the Jammu region, including those near Masroor, Chaprar, and a drone center at Shakargarh, are reportedly being reactivated.

The report further quotes intelligence sources saying that the strategy is different this time. To evade mass casualties and evade surveillance, the terror groups are splitting large camps into smaller, mobile setups, housing about 20–25 terrorists per location. Previously, a single camp would hold over 100 fighters. Additionally, camps are now being located in dense forests, shielded by radar camouflage, satellite masking, and terrain-adapted designs.

What’s more disturbing is the deliberate inclusion of women and children inside these camps. Indian intelligence believes this is a calculated tactic to use civilians as human shields in the event of future Indian strikes, highlighting the moral bankruptcy of the groups involved and the state that backs them.

Terrorist movement patterns have also changed. The India Today report quotes sources noting that instead of gathering in large numbers, Pakistan-based terrorists are now dispersing widely to avoid concentration, thereby reducing vulnerability to surgical strikes and drone attacks.

The operational upgrades don’t stop there. These terror outfits—backed by Pakistan’s deep state—are incorporating drones, surveillance devices, and modern communication systems to evade detection and improve battlefield coordination. Camps are reportedly fitted with advanced tools to mask their electronic signature and physical visibility.

In terms of funding, intelligence inputs reveal that the ISI has sanctioned over PKR 100 crore specifically for this terror rebuild effort. High-level meetings involving top commanders from Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Hizbul Mujahideen (HM), The Resistance Front (TRF) and senior ISI officials have already taken place in PoK and Rawalpindi to plan the next phase of cross-border insurgency.

These groups are not only restructuring their leadership and replenishing their weapons stockpiles, but also renewing recruitment drives, both inside Pakistan and in Jammu and Kashmir. However, their efforts come at a time when recruitment in the Valley has dropped significantly due to India’s relentless counter-insurgency operations and increased monitoring of radicalisation pathways.

Yet, the resurgence of Pakistan-backed terror camps sends a clear and ominous signal: Rawalpindi remains unwilling to dismantle its terror proxies, and instead continues to weaponize militancy as state policy, ng exposed by India’s surgical precision during Operation Sindoor.