Top Lashkar-e-Taiba Commander Abu Qatal Assassinated in Pakistan

Abu Qatal, a key aide of Hafiz Saeed and mastermind of deadly attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, was killed by unidentified gunmen in Jhelum, Pakistan.

Abu Qatal, also known as Faisal Nadeem and Zia-ur-Rehman, was a senior Lashkar-e-Taiba commander and a close associate of 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed.
He was shot dead on Saturday night while traveling with his security team near the Mangla bypass in Jhelum district, Punjab province, Pakistan.
Qatal was involved in orchestrating major attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, including the January 2023 Rajouri village attack that killed seven civilians and the June 2024 Reasi bus attack that left nine dead and over 40 injured.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had recently charge-sheeted Qatal for his role in cross-border terrorism, linking him to recruitment, infiltration, and planning of attacks targeting civilians and security personnel in India.
Speculation surrounds the motive behind the assassination, with theories ranging from internal Lashkar-e-Taiba rivalries to possible involvement by external forces.