The People’s Anti-Fascist Front or PAFF, an offshoot of Pakistan-based terrorist organisation Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), has claimed responsibility for the Poonch terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir in which four soldiers of the Indian Army were killed. The attack took place in the forest of Dera ki Gali in the Rajouri district of the Poonch sector. Two Army vehicles were ambushed by heavily armed terrorists during the attack. A comprehensive search and cordon operation has been initiated in the Dera ki Gali forest area, utilising both ground forces and aerial support.

Following the ambush, the People’s Anti-Fascist Front (PAFF), a group believed to be a proxy for Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), claimed responsibility for the attack. Masood Azhar, the leader of the Pakistani terrorist organisation JeM, reportedly established PAFF. Additionally, it is reported that Mufti Azgar Kashmiri leads the group, while Mufti Abdul Rauf Azhar, Masood Azhar’s brother, manages the organisational aspects of the terrorist group.

Home Ministry has already banned PAFF

In January 2023, the PAFF was officially banned by the Union Home Ministry under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) due to its involvement in various terrorist activities in Jammu and Kashmir. The Home Ministry’s notification highlighted that this terror outfit consistently issued threats to security personnel, political figures, and civilians from other states working in Jammu and Kashmir.

The ministry’s statement further mentioned that PAFF, along with other groups, was actively plotting to execute violent terrorist attacks in Jammu and Kashmir and major Indian cities. The conspiracy took place both physically and on social media.

Additionally, it was revealed that PAFF plays a significant role in radicalising and recruiting youth, training them in the use of firearms, ammunition, and explosives. Security officials have observed an increasing involvement of PAFF in terrorist activities, with the group being linked to several incidents in the Jammu-Kashmir region.

Terrorists from PAFF are infamous for employing body cameras during their assaults to record the events. These recordings are then utilised for propaganda purposes. An instance of this tactic was observed in April 2023, when PAFF terrorists attacked an Indian Army truck in Poonch and captured the incident on film.