A wanted terrorist linked to the 2019 Pulwama attack was shot dead Thursday by unidentified gunmen in Muzaffarabad, Pakistan-administered Kashmir (PAK) , according to media reports
Hamza Burhan, a resident of Ratnipora in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district, was hit by multiple bullets in the attack and died at the scene, reports said.
Burhan was considered a key mastermind of terror operations tied to the Feb. 14, 2019, suicide bombing that killed 40 Central Reserve Police Force personnel in Pulwama. The Pakistan-based militant group Jaish-e-Mohammad claimed responsibility for that attack, which triggered a sharp escalation in tensions between India and Pakistan.
Intelligence agencies said Burhan had a long history of anti-India activity and used a “digital radicalization” model, extensively employing social media to incite violence and recruit young people in Kashmir region. He traveled to Pakistan seven years ago with valid documents and joined the Al-Badr terror outfit, later becoming its operational commander. He was responsible for recruiting militants and securing weapons for the group in Indian-controlled Kashmir.
The Indian government designated Burhan a terrorist in 2022. Agencies believed he was instrumental in spreading terror in Pulwama and other parts of southern Kashmir.
