HomeWorld15 terror camps return in PoK in just 90 days: How ISI-backed groups are going smaller, smarter and deadlier

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

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.

August 04, 2025 / 16:40 IST
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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.
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.

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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.