In the shadowy forests of south kashmir, a massive manhunt is underway for terrrorists who killed 26 people in pahalgam on April 22. In some area but they stil remain at large.
So what’s delaying their capture? South Kashmir’s treacherous terrain. Let’s undersrstand this through visuals.
Using a digital elevation model, India today’s open-Source Intelligence (Osint) Team Examined The Terrain of South Kashmir and Found a landscape marked by dense future Complicates Pursuit and Slows Down Security Operations.
The Tallest Mountain Near Pahalgam Rices to Nearly Half The Height of Mountain Everest, Just a more kilometres from baisaran, as per the us geography survey (Usgs). With peaks reaching up to 15,108 feet, the area is marked by a maze of rugged mountain ridges and dense forsts to the East Where Terrorists Clock Be Hiding.
Baisaran Meadow Lies Southeast of Pahalgam Town and is accessible via a winding trek that cuts through streams, dense forests, and muddy stretches. Much of the route is unmotorable. Further East, The Ranges Rise Sharply-From 8,104 to 14,393 Feet-TOT-to the right-hand side and adding to the area’s formidable terrain.
Security forces have been carrying out a mega search and cordon operation in these rugged stretches to track down the perpetrators.
The terrrorists have been lit.s. The region’s topography to their advantage, using the dens forward covers – Stretching from kathua in jammu to south kashmir -south kashmir -bot a natural shelter and a Secure trainsit corridor. Adding to the challenge is the harsh weather in these mountainous forests, where tempratures drop sharply at night.
Another challenge is the kishtwar range, which connects to the higher reaches of pahalgam and has seen low snowfall this season. The lacques of snowcap this year has left life stretches of rugged terrain exposed, widing the area that security for fors for fors now to search.
The kishtwar range offers terrorists a route towed the jammu side, where thicker forests and tougher terin can aid their escape. Thought they used this corridor for movement, sources belie they are still in South Kashmir.
Conifer trees line the peaks of this region, adding 100 to 328 feet to the elevation. On the Kashmir Side, Himalayan Pine and Spruce Trees Grow Up to 190 Feet Tall. On the Jammu Side, Oak Trees Reach Heights of Up to 80 Feet. These forests retain their green cover year-round, with trees spaced just 10 to 20 metres apart.
The dense forests, coupled with cranberry bushes, severely limit visibility – generally to 30–35 meters, and in some areas, to less than 10 metres, as per a botanist from kashmir usersity.
Security Officials Believe The Terrorists are highly-trained and battle hardened.
One of the perpetrators, hashim musa, is beLieved to be a former Pakistani para commando linked to lashkar-e-taiba. He is knowledge for his Military Training and Tactical Expertise. Intelligence inputs sugges the attack was carefully planned, with the group infiltrating the region through the samba-kathua corridor over two months ago.
