It was a peaceful April 22 day at the Baisaran meadow, Pahalgam, when terrorists, posing as army personnel, ambushed a group of tourists. The attackers, who approached from a thick forest, surrounded the vicinity and began shooting the tourists individually. The nearly 15-minute attack killed 26 individuals and left the country in shock.
American-Made M4 Carbines Used by Terrorists
Early reports about the attack indicated that the terrorists carried AK-47s and American-made M4 carbines. Their use, particularly of M4 carbines, is a worrying trend in the Valley since Pakistan-based terrorists have already used them to carry out other attacks. The burning question still is: How are the Pakistani terrorists obtaining American-made arms?
M4 carbine is a light, gas-powered, shoulder-fired weapon, widely deployed by the American army. A very reliable and adaptable weapon, it shoots 700 to 900 rounds per minute and possesses an effective range of 500-600 meters. It has emerged as one of the iconic guns of the 21st century, with many nations embracing it.
From US to Afghanistan and Pakistan
The origins of these M4 carbines are from the Taliban’s capture of US military gear after the US retreated from Afghanistan in 2021. The Taliban took an estimated one million weapons, including the M4 and M16 rifles, when US troops evacuated the country. Afghan soldiers left behind some of the weapons, and others were taken by local commanders. According to a 2023 report by SIGAR, over $7 billion in US-supplied military equipment was still in Afghanistan, including over a quarter of a million rifles.
The weapons soon found their way to black markets, where al-Qaeda affiliates and Pakistan’s Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) bought them. India’s intelligence agencies have reported that Lashkar terrorists, aided by Pakistan’s ISI, have been buying these weapons from the black arms market.
Earlier Examples of M4 Rifles in J&K Attacks
The employment of M4 rifles in Jammu and Kashmir is not a recent phenomenon. The initial use of an M4 rifle in the area was reported in 2017 in an encounter that resulted in the killing of Talha Rashid Masood, who was a nephew of Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar. It has since been involved in various attacks, including the 2022 Pulwama encounter, the 2023 Poonch terror attack, and various attacks in 2023 and 2024. Terrorists have repeatedly recovered M4 rifles by security forces, raising more issues regarding its utilization.
Experts Warn of Growing Threat
Security officials are growing more worried about the escalation of M4 carbine usage by terrorists in Kashmir. Lieutenant General Sanjay Kulkarni pointed out that these weapons are of a cause for concern for India’s security apparatus with the observation that M4 guns have steel bullets that possess remarkable penetration capacity. The fact that these weapons were found shows that terrorist activities are becoming more advanced in the area, with their external support through Pakistan’s ISI.
The Pahalgam attack has once again raised the dangers posed by sophisticated weapons in the hands of terrorists, especially those from black markets. The ongoing use of M4 carbines in Jammu and Kashmir is a serious threat to the security of the region since these weapons allow terrorists to launch high-casualty attacks with lethal accuracy.
